Cry Havoc
by Buffitude
Summary: Spike finds himself a pawn of the PTBs, a new game's afoot, the last Chapter is up! This is Finished!
1. Default Chapter

TITLE- Cry "Havoc"...

AUTHOR- Buffitude

DISCLAIMER- Joss's except for those that aren't.

RATING- R, Language, sexual situations

PAIRING- some B/S, some others

SUMMARY- Sometime after Smashed...

Feedback/ oh, why not

-

The night was warm; a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the tree he stood beneath, allowing the moonlight to play over him. The cherry back-glow of the cigarette he was smoking illuminated his inhumanly beautiful face briefly as he inhaled. Blowing out smoke in a sigh of breath, he sucked in another breath through his mouth. Tasting the breeze, relishing the scents stirring in it.

It made his demon stir. The scent of warm living humans. Humans and correspondingly, blood. And to the demon within, blood was all.

He narrows his eyes as he surveys the house before him, but sees no movement and glances up at the evening sky, calculating time with the movement of the constellations. He really needs to get a watch. It looked like Dawn wasn't making with the houdini tonight, so he may as well head back to the crypt for some late night telly. The bit could manage to get herself in a lot of trouble; he shook his head ruefully. He'd been making sure she kept home at night.

He had hoped the Slayer would show she'd been avoiding him since their last bout of mind numbing sex. They weren't finished, he smiled darkly, it wasn't over, he promised silently staring at the house.

He turned to leave, dropping the cigarette to the ground, crushing it under his heel. Sauntering off hands in pockets, his black leather duster swirling around him. He'd walked five blocks in the residential area when he felt something. He silently halted, surveying the night surrounding him. Something pulling at him, an invisible force. A compulsion?

"Bloody hell, now what?" he sullenly wondered aloud.

Trying to ignore the prickling sensation in his head, he continued forward to the turn off into the cemetery. The further he walked, the stronger the unpleasant sensation became. He staggered to a standstill, shuddering, waging a silent war for his own control. The compulsion made it impossible to think clearly. His demon shifting to the fore, he snarled, outraged at the magics being used against him. Sodding Hellmouth, a bloke never knew what magics were lurking around to grab him.

Fighting every step unwillingly led to a two-story Victorian in the old neighborhood. The house appeared to be in poor repair, but it was occupied. By humans, if the small feminine figure standing on the second level balcony was any indication. Her long hair seemed to have life of it's own as it lifted in the breeze, snaking around the woman's body and head. Blowing around her upturned face, the moonlight bathing her features in its silver illumination. Beautiful features, Spike was startled to see. Young features, he noted.

The compulsion was on him full force, a buzzing in his head disorienting him. Shaking his head he staggered forward. Compelled. Commanded. NO! He falls to the ground, digging his fingers into the earth of the bare yard of the dwelling. COME. The force beckoned. NO! The annoying buzzing becomes a roar. He climbed slowly to his feet, lurching toward the house... The roaring easing to a buzz, then to a prickling in his head once again.

Ahhh. Compulsion spell, then.

Angry and curious he takes hold of a pole running up the side of the house. Hand over hand, hauled himself up to the balcony. Rolling over the balcony railing and coming up in a crouch, freezing in place. Every sense he possessed trained on the woman standing at the other end of the balcony. Preternatural night vision revealed the exquisite beauty of the woman's' face. High cheek bones large silver grey eyes with finely arched brows. Smooth ivory complexion, sculpted lips. Her slightly pointed chin lending an elvin, alien aspect to her beauty.

His eyes roamed her face and her form, traveling to her rapidly rising chest. In, out, in, out .Her breathing a soothing rhythm in the night. Spikes' eyes narrowed, nostrils flared to breathe her scent. He was on the hunt. Tasting the air, the scent of her heady, spicy. Shakes his head, not good, he acknowledges on some level of his brain.

She stood, still as prey being stalked, hugging herself, watching him. Eyes wide, pupils dilated as if she wasn't sure she was seeing him. In a sudden movement, she flung herself at him. Hurtling her body at him like a right tackle on a football field. He half rose from his crouch to meet the human missile launching at him. He grunted in his chest at the impact, arms coming around her to steady them and keep them from sprawling backward into the rotted balcony railing.

A crackling blue web of electrical-magical-Energy began to shimmer over their entwined bodies. A blue maelstrom of energy whirling and whipping over the pair on the balcony. Standing in the circle of his arms, the woman, no, girl, he decides, raises her face to him and looks into his eyes.

_Spike_... , a sigh in his mind.

Great. Another sodding witch talking in his bloody head!

_You are here_... the voice sighs sweetly in his mind.

"WHO are you? You don't know who you are dealin' with luv...let me **go"**, Spike snarled as he felt her arms slip around his waist. The blue energy was singing in his head, in his blood. The nearness of the girl in his arms making him unable to think clearly. She wiggled closer, flattening herself to mold to him. Spice, warmth-blood singing to him, just for him. He felt his face shift, fangs descend.

_You came for me_.. She gazed into his saffron, blazing eyes unafraid of his metamorphosis. Something moved in Spike then, like a kaleidoscope**, pieces** snapping into place. An urge as deep and primal as the human need to breathe. "My blood to yours..", he began, the odd ritual words coming unbidden to him, part of the compulsion. She raised her lips to his, his mouth coming down hard on hers. Her hands in his hair. The growling deep in his chest becoming a song of need as she pulled her mouth from his, forcing his head down, lips and teeth against her pulse.

He doesn't hesitate but buries fangs deep. She was warm, so warm he groaned savagely pulling her closer. Sweet, spicy, innocent blood flooded his mouth, his throat and his being. It had been long since he had fed from a living human. His demon roared. For a fleeting instant, he loved the human chalice from which he drank, lost in the pleasure of the moment. There was no time, no space, no thought. The blue energy whined to a higher pitch.

Maelyn. Spike knows her name. He tore his mouth from the white column of her throat, the alabaster alter where he but moments ago, worshipped. And there was no pain. Why was there no** pain?** His chip. He staggered back into the outside wall of the house dragging the girl with him. Her heart beat weak and thready, head lolling back weakly as she opens her eyes to look up at him, no fear or accusation in her gaze. _Spike_... , a smile on her lips.

Confused, Spike smoothes her hair from her face, in a strangely tender gesture, from the one who drained her to the point of death. The energy flow surrounding them has turned blue white and was screaming...Screaming. Spike looked down at the beautiful upturned face, drawn by powers stronger than he; he bared his throat, carelessly gashing a bloody rip with his own fingers. "You have to drink now." her murmured. She was too weak, Spike raised the girls lovely face with a hand to the back of her head placing her mouth on his throat, her lips work as his blood flows out of him, she bites down hard, making him flinch. He could feel her drawing from him and felt a deep satisfaction.

-

He moved her, shifting her into his lap as his knees buckled and he slowly slid down the wall until he was sitting on the balcony's' floor. Holding the now still girl across his lap, against his chest he dazedly tried to make sense out of what had just happened. The blue energy vortex that had surrounded them spun itself out. Falling out like a dust devil in an arid field, until the crackling that remained was no more than a slight static charge.

What the hell...Spike thinks frantically? Mother Of Christ! He'd made a fledgling! Staring at the face of the girl in his arms, amazed. The Slayer's going to ram a redwood through me for this one. He glances at the sky seeing the approaching dawn; more time had passed than he'd been aware. He needed to get a watch, he decided.

Lifting the fledgling into a better position he rose from the floor. Leaping the railing, dropping to the ground below. He breaks into a run, swiftly, with all the grace and speed innate to his kind, he dodged obstacles in the prelight of dawn making for the safety of his crypt. No sense in combusting over the episode, he thought practically. Although, Buffy was probably going to turn him into Mr. Big Pile of Bloody Dust over it.

Slamming the door open, he staggers in and kicks it closed behind him. Steam that rose from him dissipating in the darkness of the crypt. Gathering his thoughts he looked at the limp form in his arms. Better put'er to bed, then. No sense in giving her the 'wig' anymore than necessary, remembering his own frantic escape from his grave. And Buffys' escape from hers, his blue eyes darkening further at the memory of shocked, vacant eyes and torn hands.

-

Spike stood near the bed looking at his handiwork, running a hand through his platinum hair, mussing it and leaving behind curls, in place of the gelled spikiness he wore like armor. The girl lay in the stillness of death. No breath, heartbeat stopped, utterly beautiful. How old was she, He wondered. Eighteen? Twenty? Barely older than Dawn.

A childe. He had Sired a childe. Something he'd done only once before in his entire existence. He shook his head to dispel the memory of the disappointment of that ill-fated foray. By the time Darla and Angelus were done playing with the fledgling vampire, it was probably a relief that Angelus staked it out for the sun to take, stating he wasn't feeding another idiot childe. Spike snorted at that. No one could blame Drucilla on **him.** Angelus always took every opportunity to make him acknowledge him as the Alpha male. It always turned into some kind of pissing contest with them. He never wanted the responsibility after that and it was never really all that important in the decades that followed.

His fledgling lay in repose on the scarlet satin bed cover. Her dark sable hair was shot through with gold highlights, which shimmered in the candlelight. A slow smile spread his lips, curling them into a darkly sardonic expression, turning his face from pensive to sensually cruel. Vampire relations being what they are...this may be ...neat, he thinks to himself.

-

"BLOODY HELL! What was I **thinking**? ", He raged, pacing up and down the length of the floor, clutching the bottle of whiskey in his fist. Something akin to panic blossoming in his breast."Damn, damn, **damn!"** Was the litany that spilled from his lips.

_Spike_, her voice whispers in his head. He stops and whirls toward the ladder that leads below to his chambers.

_How do you do that, eh? Red's the only other who could get in my head, can't say that I like it much_. he snapped, _Get out of my head, pet. It's not polite_. Spike sent to her as he descended into the lower rooms. Striding to the bed, he sat on the edge

"You're awake early, most don't wake for a day or so." he commented. " So how're you feeling, then?" he asks his fledgling as she yawned and stretched on his coverlet.

_I'm starving..,_ She began.

"Ah-ah, with** words, not in my head.**' Spike warned with a wag of his finger. She smiled shyly at him and he reached out and seized her by the chin, tipping her silver-grey eyes to meet his midnight blue ones.

"How old are you, pet?" he asked quietly.

"Seventeen." Maelyn answered simply.

Spike snatched his hand away as if she had bit him, staring at her, with a growing anger.

"God, I amMr. Big Pile Of Dust" He gritted through clenched teeth, thinking of what Buffy would do when she heard **that**piece of information. Hell, she won't hear about **any **of this from him!

"Spike..." she sighed, and he felt a flood of need emanating from the girl lying in his bed, he angled his head down to look at her from the corner of his eye.

"Who are you..What are you, that you can do this" He gestured to his own head with his two fingers in a semi-salute. A sudden glint of suspicion in his eyes, he leaned menacingly toward her,

"You aren't Romany.?...Because I already have a soddin' chip in my head..No curses for this chap, thanks."

"Please, I want...' she stopped unsure of what the need burning in her veins required, turning pleading eyes to the vampire on the bed next to her. Spike lifts her into his embrace. She twines her lithe arms around his neck, nestling her lips in the hollow of his throat. Biting, ...Spike threw his head back and groans deeply as his fledgling fed. Sparks of blue rising, swirling around them.

-

Spike lay on the bed, pillows propped behind him, Maelyn draped across his body like a blanket. He idly smoothed her hair, petting down its' length, to curl the ends around his fingers. He drains the mug and set it on the bedside table, before drawing her closer, and sliding into slumber.

BOOM!

The door slams open upstairs, jarring Spike awake.

"SPIKE", Dawn calls out as she enters the crypt.

Got to get a lock on that door. He gently slides the sleeping girl onto the coverlet, and leapt for the stairs. He speeds up the ladder, catching Dawn at the top, looking down at him. "What are you doin' here, Bit" Spike inquires as he climbed out of the downstairs chamber.

"Well, don't go acting glad to see me on my account or anything..." Dawn pouted, hurt written on her expressive young face. Spike raised an eyebrow, taking hold of Dawns' elbow, guiding her to the sofa. She sits down in a flouncing motion, curling her legs under her. Moving to the mini-fridge, Spike opened it. "Diet Coke? Guinness? O-Positive", his voice calls to Dawn.

"Guinness, please", Dawn replies hopefully. A can of Diet Coke sails through the air toward her, she catches it, shooting Spike a dirty look. Spike smirked at her, raising his now open bottle of beer in a salute, before drinking.

"So, Dawn. Did we have a playdate today? It must have slipped my mind.", another drink, and a edgy glance toward the opening in the floor, flicking his gaze back to Dawn. Dawn frowned, noticing Spikes' odd behavior.

"I thought maybe we could hang out, watch soaps or something." She answered. They had spent a lot of time doing just that in those terrible days of loneliness that had followed Buffs' leap that saved the world.

"Ditch school again, pet? You know big sis will track you down and then..." Spike trailed off, a look spreading on his face that looked suspiciously like panic. "Bit, you gotta go. Go home. Now." Spike grabbed her up from the sofa and herded her toward the door. Dawn stumbles; clutching her can of soda, spilling it as Spike nearly yanks her across the room.

"Spike! **Stop** it! What's wrong with you! Hey, damn it, wait" Dawns' voice going from confused to pissed in the time it takes to get from the sofa to the crypts' door.

"Language, niblett, language!" Spike admonishes her absently as he yanks the door open...

And sees Buffy.

Buggar that! He slams the door shut. Leans against it, banging his head on it with his eyes shut. Dawn gapes at him.

Buffy stands with her hands on her hips outside the crypts entrance, blinking. Did Spike just slam the door in her face? Suddenly, the door is ripped back open; Dawn thrust out of it practically on top of Buffy, Spikes' face briefly visible as he dodged the sunlight, slamming the door shut again. Buffy and her sister gawk at each other, then back at the door.

"Ok, I knew I'd find you here, Dawn. You can't just skip school to come here and hang out with Spike! We talked about this." exasperation evident in the very lines of her body. "What's up with Spike" Buffy nods toward the door.

"I don't know" Dawn shrugged expressively"He was acting weird the whole time I was inside..Do I have to go to school? I've already missed first period." She pleaded with her sister, looking into her face and seeing no reprieve.

"YES! I 'll write you a note."

And I'll find out what's going on with Spike, she silently added as she watched her sister stomp off toward school.

-

Spike leaned against the door, then looked down at his hands, realizing he is still gripping the bottle of beer. He takes a long drink, pushing away from the door and moves with unnatural swiftness to the lower chamber. The girl is lying on the bed, feeling her forehead and teeth with curious fingers. Spike paused to watch the fledgling taking in her new accoutrements, cocking his head slightly to the side, amused, smiling to himself.

'Coool" Maelyn grinned up at him, 'let me see yours." Spike smiles slowly and shifted into game face, gazing at her with yellow blazing eyes. She flowed off the bed approaching him. Stopping in front of him, she reached her hand up to his face, laying her palm against his cheek in a tender gesture. "You are so beautiful.' she whispered admiringly.

This startled Spike, not used to this reaction to the demons' face. He looked down into her earnest face and sucked in an unwarranted breath. Her eyes, her eyes were the same silver -grey color. What kind of demon...? He shook himself mentally"Hungry again, pet" at her expression, he knew he had hit the mark. "Right then, I'll get you a warm mug, be back in a sec."

"Mug? Wait...couldn't we...you could." she looked at him, come hither written all over her beautiful face. Spikes' eyes darkened at the invitation, strolling to the edge of the bed, he slowly slid one knee onto the coverlet. The fledgling met him halfway, dragging his head down to her, meeting his lips with her own. Spike roughly takes her head between his hands and pulls her mouth from his, kissing a trail down her jawline to her neck. She shifts and in a quick, startling move sinks her fangs deep, drawing blood from her Sire in greedy draughts. Spike tightened his grip on her and they fall to the bed. Soon her feeding had become less frantic, and he pulled her from him, rolling on top of her. Pinning her to the bed, arms over her head imprisoning her wrists in one hand. Blue lights flickered over them.

"Ok, baby" Spikes' smooth whiskey voice speaks in a caress"You are going to tell me some things. What is this..'"Gesturing randomly" this electric light display. And how'd you know me? Before." he looked into her sated eyes, compelling her to talk.

I 've always known you. In my dream, and awake. You've been with me." Maelyns' honeyed voice flowed into his mind.

"Are you a witch? Was it a Summoning? Or a Compulsion." Spike frowns trying to put a finger on it.

"Nooo, I'm just a girl." not understanding what he was getting at. Spike chuckles throatily.

"Hardly that, what with all the noise in my head when you are talking to me." he responded, moving his hand from her wrists to touch her cheek.

"OH" she said in understanding. She covered the back of Spikes' hand with her own, holding it to her face; suddenly he could **feel** her filling him. Her essence spilling into his mind, and he felt himself greedily sucking it into himself as he would blood. She was in him, around him and he closed his eyes laying his head on her breast. Suddenly as it began, she was gone, only a trace of her like a scent left behind. A small white light in the back of his mind.

Shaken to the core, he raised his head looking at her, and rawly whispered " What have I wrought?" staring down at her with stricken eyes.

-

BOOM!

The door slams open upstairs.

Note to self, get a bloody lock on that damned door.

Spike rolled off the bed, coming to his feet. Maelyn sat straight up on the bed, questioning look in her eyes. A quick look, a "stay here", and a snatched up double-bladed axe, and he was gone up the ladder steps. _Spike, what is it_? the frantic girl fairly shouted in his head.

Spike winced, _Tone it down. I'll check it out, baby, just stay where you are.,_ forgetting about the impulsiveness of the young.

Buffy looked at the TV, which was off. Odd. Spike was a die-hard "Passions" fan; he rarely missed a chance to watch it, even braving daylight excursions to her house when his TV was on the blink. She glanced over to the hole in the floor out from which Spike flew, in a defensive stance, holding an axe in a firm grip. Buffy raised an eyebrow, fully expecting him to relax and disarm when seeing her. Instead she was treated to Spike shifting into a classic fighting stance, whirling the axe in silver arcs across his body in offensive patterning.

"Spike" rolling her eyes"it's only me."

"I see you. Now, what do you want, Slayer" he responded crisply. Buffy frowned; this was a new development.

"Look Mr. Grouchy Pants, I'm sorry Dawn woke you, but you are going to have to tell her she can't skip school to come over here. She'll listen to you. She just fights with me these days." Buffy sighed. Is he going to put down that axe any time soon? He slowly stands it in the corner against the wall, and walks toward Buffy. Carefully keeping himself between her and the "rabbit hole" as she liked to call the entrance to the lower chamber.

"Good idea, tell the bit she can't come here for...oh, say a week. Ya know, she's grounded-like" Spike throws out, thinking quickly how long before fledglings are halfway safe to be around without them tearing the throat out of every bloodbearing person.

"Spike" Buffy says, shifting gears in the conversation"What's going on. You've been on edge since you, oh, SLAMMED THE DOOR IN MY FACE! **What's** up with that"

"Uh..." Spike began, when he hears the fledgling clear her throat behind him. **Bloody Hell!**

Buffy stares slack-jawed at the beautiful, young, emphasis on young here, she thinks; girl standing behind Spike. He whirls around, one arm behind him blocking the girls' path, palm on her stomach holding her in place, he cast a look at the Slayer from under lowered brows. "Buffy, get out, now." he grinded out from behind clenched teeth.

Maelyn peeped around Spikes' shoulder, curiosity written on her face"Who's that, Spike?'

Buffy felt numbness creeping in to fill a place in her heart she didn't know was there.

"Yes, Spike, who **is** that" Sweetly throwing the words at him like rocks.

-

BANG!

The door to the crypt slammed open.

All three pairs of eyes flew to the disheveled figure that flung himself inside Spikes' abode. Panting, looking around, he spied Buffy, Spike and a very young girl, frozen in a confrontational tableau.

"Buffy, is everything ok? I've been waiting in the car and you've been in here for..." the young man' eyes widened"Hey! What's going on" he demanded.

"Spike, are you poaching at the elementary school again? Hand her over, Peroxide guy." Xander sarcastically flung at the agitated inhabitant of the crypt. "Buffy, you take Spike, I'll grab the kid." he spilled out in a rush, eyes flashing.

Rage flared behind Spikes' eyes. Roaring, with game face in place, he charged Xander intent on pulverizing him on the spot. The chip busted him to his knees. Buffy grabbed him by his bare shoulders, tossing him to the sofa where he lay still, dazed by the chips' response to his murderous attempt on Xander. The fledglings' eyes locked on Xander. Her beautiful face filled with an unholy hunger.

_Spike, I'm hungry_. starting toward Xander, who is frozen in uncertainty at the look on her face. Spike struggles off the sofa, and makes it to intercept her before she was half way to her intended meal. He clamps his arms around her, trying to still her struggles, finally lifting her off the floor as she shrieked her rage at being thwarted. Buffy and Xander stare in horror as this vision of beauty turns into a hunger- crazed vampire fledgling.

A stake springs from nowhere, into the Slayers hand.

Spike struggles with the girl, turning her in his embrace until her face is pressed to his chest. Soothing sounds coming from his throat, crooning "That's my girl, that's my pet." Fangs sink deep. "Feed, it's alright, luv." Blue flames and sparks swirl around them in a maelstrom of glowing electric light. A subliminal humming is heard, growing louder, more shrill. Spikes' head strains backward, vocal chords strained in a silent cry.

They are melded. Mind to mind neither knowing where one began, where the other ended. Time fell away and Spike felt peace through his entire being, and she was there with him ...in heaven? No, never him, he thought. But it is close, it is enough.

Xander shielded his eyes from the blue-white light swirling around the two figures. Buffy grasps his arm"What IS that? What is happening? Xander, we have to get him out of that" she shouted over the shrieking energy field.

As slowly as it started, the energy dissipated, leaving Spike clasping a limp form to his chest. He gazed dazedly into her eyes"Bloody Hell." he says before falling backward into the wall, dragging the girl with him. He felt Buffy prying his arms away from Maelyn. What? Where..? He could hear Buffy saying "Xander help me get her away from him. They are both out and we need to get them downstairs."

"NO! Harris, get away." he growls, his voice barely above a whisper. Rolling to his side trying to cover the girl in the protection of his own body.

"Spike, it's ok. I'll take care of you." he heard Buffy in the distance, down a long tunnel. Fell down the bloody rabbit hole, he thought. Then darkness.

Buffy turned to Xander"He doesn't want you to touch her, I'll do this." at Xanders doubtful look she continued. "I'll be ok. Considering how she reacted to you maybe you better go. And call Willow... No, call a Scooby meeting. I'll meet you at the Magic Box when I'm done here." Then getting his aquiesance, she turned back to the two still figures lying on the floor.

-

Spike wakes to a touch on his shoulder, stares into Buffys' face blearily, wondering why she was there. She'd never stayed before after a bout of 'monster wrestling' as she so euphemistically called their sexual encounters. Buffy slipped an arm under his shoulders helping him to sit upright, holding a mug to his lips. "Drink it, Spike. I need you awake." she said in a perfunctory tone of voice.

"Still up for a go, then, luv" he mumbled against the cup held to his lips, before drinking the contents completely to the bottom of the mug. "Hardly." she snorted"Spike, wake up" she shook him. The mug of blood reviving him, he sat bolt upright in the bed.

"Christ" he frantically looked around for Maelyn, upon spotting her resting on the other side of the bed, rolled over and gently lifted her into his embrace, settling them both against the head of the bed. Satisfied that she wasn't injured, relieved she wasn't dust, he turned to face Buffy. Buffy sat on a chair she had dragged up to the side of the bed, completely unaware of her hands wringing nervously in her lap

"Are you going to tell me what's going on, Spike." she inquired. Her voice deceptively soft, dangerous. Spike took in her face. The face of the face of the young woman he'd loved for the space of the last two years and wondered where to start.

-

"So, you're telling me that you've made a fledgling vampire, that she is ..what..Telepathic? And you don't know what the hell that blue tornado in your living room was" , her voice beginning to raise in anger, her hands making short, choppy motions as she paced the length of the chamber."Spike, how could you! She's way too young, she's probably Dawns' age, you ...pervert" Buffy spat at him.

Indignant, Spike sputtered defensively" Is** not**! She's seventeen. That's older than Dawn"

"Oh, like that two year difference, makes any difference", Buffy sneered"Spike, I should stake you" stopping in her tracks a thought occurs"Why didn't your chip prevent this" she demanded gesturing toward the girl still unconscious in his embrace. "It stopped you from taking Xanders' head off"

At the mention of Xander, Maelyn stirred _Spike, I don't like him...I heard him, he doesn't like you. _Spike glanced at the girls' still form in his arms. This bloody mind reading may be a decent advantage after all.

Buffy noticed a faraway look on his face and said "What? What is it"

"Maelyn doesn't like Harris. Can't say that I blame her." Spike smirked at Buffy sardonically. "Sit up, pet. Meet Buffy all proper-like.' he smiled into the girls' face as she sat up.

Buffy edges warily to the end of the bed"I'm Buffy..." before she could finish a voice like silken honey flowed into her mind.

_ I know who you are, Spike is in love with you, you are in his mind..." _The fledgling smiled at her brightly.

"**Get out of my head**" Buffy yelled, glaring outraged at the girl.

"Now pet, I told you remember? It's not polite to go into peoples' heads like that." Spike admonished, sparing a dark look for Buffy for yelling at the girl.

Buffy explained more kindly"I got an aspect of a demon that I slayed once, it wasn't pleasant for me...just don't do that to me, ok" Looking at Spike to see if he noticed her effort and was rewarded with his slight nod.

"I'm sorry, sorry... I forget.", the vampire girl stuttered.

"It's alright, Maelyn, you just gotta try and remember, pet." Spike smoothed her hair in the petting motion that was rapidly becoming a habit.

"Have you always been able to do that" Buffy asked curiously, feeling awkward talking to the young vampire. I usually kill her kind as they dig their way out of the grave, she mused.

"Uh, no" she shook her head" It started with Spike, I thought it would be only with him...I didn't know I could do it with you..." Maelyn leveled an odd look at Buffy who was standing uncomfortably at the foot of the bed. _She's nice, Spike_

_Not when you get to know her_his amused voice told her. Maelyn elbowed him in the chest. Buffy knew she had witnessed some silent by-play between them and shifted her balance to stand firmly on both legs.

"Spike, see me out. I have to go to the Magic Box." Buffy turned to go. Looking over her shoulder "Bye, Maelyn." she said rather grudgingly.

-

Spike went to the mini-fridge and snagged a bag out, ripping it open with his teeth, in no mood to wait. Dumping its' contents into a mug, he shoved it into the microwave, ignoring the pissed off Slayer leaning against the wall next to him. At the bell, he yanked open the door and grabbed the mug lifting it to his lips he drained it in the peculiar no breathing swallowing way that vampires have. Licking a stray droplet of ruby liquid from his lower lip, he stared boldly at Buffy. Attitude back in place"What."

"Spike, she's going to be dangerous, to my friends, to Dawn. What was this anyway? Another Buffybot, a playtoy for Spike" She taunted.

"Get over yourself, luv." he smirked, eyes twinkling.

"I mean it Spike. If she makes a move on anyone, like she did Xander today, I'll make her go "poof", and you'll have to use a dustbuster..." she was stopped by an incredibly brassed off Spike.

Hand on her neck, his body pinning her to the wall"You, any of you, try to hurt her, it'll be the last time you breathe." he whispered in her ear, his voice silken with deadly promise. She swallowed carefully.

_Spike, stop that, play nice_Maelyns' voice admonished him, making him jump guiltily.

He let go of Buffy, ashamed of his involuntary instinct to protect the girl in the lower room. Looking at Buffy, he tentatively touched her cheek"Slayer..." he began. Buffy closed her eyes and turned her head away from him. He pushed himself away from her in a smooth motion, running his had through his hair, mussing it.

"Look, Buffy. Give me a week. She'll be presentable, I promise. It's just the newly made ones are ravenous all the time...she won't be a danger once she gets some control in a few days" he earnestly entreated her.

**"SPIKE! **How can you **say** that?You can't just willy-nilly feed her any Tom, Dick or Xander that comes around! She **is** a danger. She doesn't have a chip unlike you..." she started to finish but was interrupted.

"Chip, no. Soul yes."

Buffy froze her eyes boring into him"What are you talking about"

"She has a soul. I don't know what happened, or how but she's' got one, big as brass. It's meshed with the demon somehow, I saw it during the second time we.." he gesticulated in a whirling motion over his head" you know, the bluelight special. She'll be right in a few days, when the First Hunger has passed. I remember back in the day how I was" a fond look coming into his eyes" bloody slaughtered half a block of families before I could control..." he stopped realizing that the Slayer was less than impressed with his little narrative.

"I can feed her. It usually isn't done except in extreme circumstances..." thinking back to when Dru took care of him when that blasted organ fell on him" during hard times. No nipping on anyone but me when she gets peckish."

"It'll be fine, you have my promise, trust me" Spike spoke to her quietly.

"With Dawns' life." she replied, knowing that would truly mean something to him since he loved Dawn like a little sister. A Bratty, Annoying little sister, she amended.


	2. Cry

TITLE- Cry "Havoc" Part II

AUTHOR- Buffitude

DISCLAIMER- these characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy, except for those that don't. I am only asking them to come out and play!

RATING- R (language, some sexy stuff)

PAIRING- well, of course Spike with ...Oh just read.

SUMMARY- Get to know the new girl, shennanigans, and character developments

-

Maelyn was bored, bored, bored. Spike had gone out with an admonishment for her to stay put; he'd be back soon. She wandered around the crypt, idly touching things, trailing her hand across a row of books on a shelf.

CLANG.

The latch to the crypts' door released. The door swinging open to reveal young girls' head poking in around the door. "Spike?" her voice queried. The girl walked in shutting the door behind her waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the crypt. Maelyn realized she hadn't turned on any lights, or lit any candles and that it must be very dark to the human girls' eyes. 'Snap'. Maelyn turned on the lamp near the sofa.

Dawns' eyes widened"Who are you? Where's Spike" she demanded as she saw the pretty girl standing next to the sofa.

"Uhmm...I'm Maelyn." the girl seemed ill at ease"What's your name" The fledgling nervously asked the other girl. She'd never been good at making friends or talking to other girls her age. They didn't like her, in the instinctive way kids disliked those who are different. She had been more or less invisible to her peers, and to her own father. Except when he was drunk. Then she hoped he would ignore her and not beat her senseless and lock her in the closet as he had done since she was very little. Lately, before Spike had come to her, he had started to stare at her in a peculiar manner, it made her uncomfortable. But maybe this girl would be ok, since she seemed to know Spike she thought, feeling hopeful.

"Dawn." The visitor replied. "Are you..ah..A friend of Spikes'" Yeah, right and I bet they play checkers, Dawn suspiciously thought.

Maelyn smiled. "Uhmm, sort of, are you" She asked, genuinely curious about the other girl.

"Yeah, Spike's been a friend of MY family for a long time." Dawn said, feeling a little competitive with other girl.

"Spike went out to get...stuff to eat. But he'll be right back." Maelyn looked at Dawn wistfully": Do you want to wait for him? We could watch TV or something."

Dawn looked at her speculatively. "Ok, sure."

Maelyn opened the fridge looking back at Dawn, who had dropped into the recliner, swinging one leg over the arm of the chair. "Diet Coke"

"Thanks, that'd be great." Dawn wondered whom the girl was to Spike and why she acted like she lived there. Maelyn handed Dawn the soda and took hers to curl into the sofa cushions. The two stared at each other with a mixture of hostility and curiosity. "So" Dawn began"What's your deal. I mean with Spike." she gesticulated randomly including the crypt.

The fledgling vampire girl chewed her lower lip wondering what to tell Spikes' friend. Brightening at a sudden inspiration, she sat up straighter on the couch. I can show her, then she'd understand, she decided. She shifted into her vampiric persona and was dismayed at the other girls' reaction.

"OH MY GOD! SHIT! HELP" Dawn screeched as she chucked her unopened can of Diet Coke at the vampire on the couch and leapt for the door.

_WAIT! DAWN! Don't leave... Oh god..." _Maelyn moaned, _Spike will be so mad... _and burst into tears of fright. Dawn halted her panicked flight and turned to look at the sobbing vampire girl on the sofa.

"Hey, was that YOU in my head" she looks at the other girls' frightened face.imagine that a vamp scared of me"Look, don't cry, I'm not...ok look. I won't stake you if you promise to sit over there and keep your teeth to yourself, alright"

"Well, sure." The vamp on the sofa said with 'eeew' in her voice"I wouldn't..I mean...EW, you're a girl." the fledgling wrinkled her nose at Dawn in a moue of disgust.

Dawn slowly walked to the chair and gingerly sat on the edge of the arm. Contemplating the strange vampire "You don't know much about this do you? Uhmm, that's not an issue with most...well, I mean, blood. Unisex. Hello"

Maelyn just stared at her blankly. Dawn tried again"Uh..Vampires don't care..." and stopped, the thought occurring that she REALLY shouldn't be putting ideas into Maelyns' head about the availability of her girl-blood"Nevermind."

"So", Dawn cheerfully began"How old are you? You don't look old but you know the immortal thing, can't be sure. Look at Spike for instance, he doesn't look a day over twenty-five, but who'd have guessed? He's like 150 or something and totally hot for an old guy" She gushed.

Maelyn tilted her head in thought"Oh. Well, in human years I'm 17, but in vampire years I'm only 3 days old I guess. God, that sounded lame. I make it sound like "dog years" or something." she rolled her eyes.

Dawn slides deeper into the overstuffed chair staring at the other girl. Ok, this is SO not good. Suspicion blooming in her mind. "Maelyn, did you let Spike bite you" Dawn hesitantly asked.

Frowning"Well, yeah. I bit him back too, that's how it works." a dreamy expression flitted across her beautiful face"He came for me, and took me away..." Maelyn sighed in contentment.

"This is just SO wrong...OH my GOD! If Buffy finds out his chip is wack, she'll KILL him! Dawn begins to babble in panic"What are we gonna do? Ok, look Maelyn, you are going to be in a lot of danger here, you aren't going to be able to..." her panic rising by the word.

"Dawn, what.?.Buffy has already been here, I met her.. She was pretty ok."

Dawn blinked"She was HERE? And she saw you. Does she know Spike **made **you? You can't tell her, please don't tell her, I can't lose Spike... Mom's gone, and Buffy she's here now, but she was dead... Spike he's the only one who'll never LEAVE me. " She wailed in total bereavement at the thought of her Slayer sister dusting her vampiric "Brother".

"My god, what are you talking about" Maelyn shouted at the fear-stricken girl in the chair, shaking her by the shoulders. "She'd never...I'd NEVER let her...she wouldn't... Dawn" the vampire girl stammered uncertainly with tears in her eyes. The two frightened girls hugged each other in mutual fear and panic.

Dawn murmured "Vampire strength, ...need to breathe." And Maelyn released her quickly sitting back on her heels.

"I think you better start at the beginning." Dawn suggested seriously, wiping the tears from Maelyns' face.

-

CLANK.

Spike nudged the door to the crypt open, carrying two brown bags, a smaller liqueur store bag and a Quickie Mart sack hanging from his mouth. He kicked the door shut and walked to the "table" he'd made of the sarcophagus and carelessly dropped all the bags but the one containing his whiskey, which he retained in one hand.

"Pet, I'm home." he bellowed. Turning, throwing the still steaming ratty blanket on the floor he sees two sets of widened eyes peering over the back of the sofa at him. "BLOODY hell" he shouted as he dropped the whiskey, leaping toward the sofa. "DAWN"

"Maelyn...pet, let'r go and come here.." he crooned soothingly at his startled fledgling. "Dawn, sit very still, don't move."

The two girls looked at each other and dissolved into a frenzy of giggles. Dawns' ending with a snort as she covered her mouth with her hand. Spike groans...it's too late, too late.oh bit...oh god.his mind babbles.

"Spike, look, Dawn came to see us, Uhmm. Well, you really. But I like her, can she come back tomorrow" Maelyn asks him excitedly.

Spike opened his eyes. "Bit, everything ok here" He cautiously ventured.

"Sure Spike. Look I better go, Buffy told me to come straight home. But can I come back and hang with Maelyn, you know, AFTER school" hoping to manipulate him with a promise to go to school.

"Dawn, weren't you told not to come here" Spikes' voice was calm.

Dawn nervously twiddled her hair on her finger"Well, yeah, but..So" Knowing that when Spikes' voice was all quiet that he was at his most enraged.

BOOM! Spike blew up, waving his hands above his head"DON"T YOU EVER LISTEN? TO ANYONE? Me, your sis...anyone" Dawn stood near the sofa, tears starting in her eyes. Maelyn slowly slid to stand beside her new friend, sliding her hand into Dawns' she maneuvered them toward the door, edging around the furniture.

_You better go, I've never seen him mad like this...except when that Harris guy came in and threatened to take me away. _Maelyn whispered nervously into Dawns' mind.

_"Ok, talk to you later. _Dawn squeaked as she ran out the door, Spike right behind her shouting "Don't think you are off the hook on this Dawn! DAWN" as the door clicked shut in his face. With his back to Maelyn, in that deceptively calm voice"Do you have something to say to me"

"No." she squeaked in a small voice, running and disappearing down the rabbit hole to the bedroom. Spike banged his head on the door of the crypt, eyes closed. Women.

-

Buffy pushed the door of the Magic Box open, striding inside to the tinkle of doorbells. At the sound the people sitting at the table looked up.

'Hey Buffster! I called an official meeting of the Scoobies and "presto" here we are. Waiting to hear all about your adventures with the Evil Dead." Xander called out as she made her way down the steps to the table.

Buffy froze, rabbit-like, misunderstanding Xanders' double -edged remark. She shook herself mentally, realizing he was NOT referring to her sexcapades with Spike.

Willow raised her eyebrow, smiling" Hi Buffy, Xander says that there was some weirdness at Spikes'? But you know, thinking about it, it's probably not so weird...you know, Spike-weirdness, together like an Oreo cookie. " Blithely continuing" Chocolatey goodness and creamy center" in her perky voice. Seeing the almost horrified look on Buffys' face she trailed off"Uh.nevermind."

-

"So it sounds like some kind of gestalt triggered by the fledglings' contact with Spike?" Willow thought out loud, trying to calculate in her head the possibilities. "You say it was blue? The energy, I mean"

"Smurfy", Xander volunteered"sorta like a neon acid Smurfiness."

"I don't know what it is, or who is doing this. But it can't be good, Will. You didn't see what it did to him." Buffy crossed her arms leaning on the table toward her"It's powerful and it's also caused something I've never heard of before. Spike said the fledg...Maelyn" Buffy corrected herself" has a soul. Near as he could figure it, it has been spliced together with the demon. Anyone heard of that before?' Buffy looked around the table, from face to face. Everyone shook his or her heads, dumbfounded. Anya included. "Oh, then there's the telepathy..."

Willows' face creased with worry; "Maybe we should call Giles"

"Ok Will, you call and tell him what's going on. I need to check on Dawn."

Everyone knew a dismissal when they heard it and gathering their belongings, filed out of the shop behind their Slayer.

Buffy stopped on the porch of their house. Willow opened the door, looking over her shoulder"Coming in"

"Yeah, give me a minute Willow, I'll be in." she said wearily, sitting on the step.

Putting her head in her hands she smoothed her hair back away from her face. She sat in stillness, expecting to hear the whisper of leather, the smell of cigarette smoke and the smooth, calming voice of the one that always turned up when she needed him most. But not this time. This time he was the one who needed her, and she would find out what to do to stop this...whatever it was, that had knocked him unconscious. Something even a hellgod couldn't quite manage.

-

Maelyn sat on the bed, worrying her lower lip with her teeth. Lovely face pensive in the shadows waiting for Spike to come down the ladder. I wonder what he's going to do? _Spike,_ She tentatively reached for him and was brutally slapped out of his head.

_GET OUT! Damn it, _He snarled drunkenly at her.

She felt the panic rising, she couldn't **feel** him. It was as if a wall had been put there, he was gone. Gone from her mind. It was dark, like the closet..Only Spike had been there with her then, he and the dark one Drusilla. It was as he had never been there at all, and she was alone, in the darkness of her mind...and someone was screaming, somewhere. Somewhere she heard someone screaming.

Buffys' head snapped up at the screaming. It was dark, terrified, a mindless keening and it went on and on ...in her head! Dawn tore open the door frantically looking for the source of the screaming, seeing Buffy. Meeting her eyes"Maelyn." Dawn whispered. "Oh GOD Buffy! Something is wrong"

"I'm on it Dawn. Stay here." she leapt from the porch, running toward the cemetery and Spikes' crypt, where the terrified screaming was getting louder in her head.

Screw her! Dawn thought as she charged after her sister, fright for her new friend spurring her on. Daylight was filtering through the cemetery trees in its last hours of illumination before nightfall. Two figures raced through the dappled shadows toward the crypt where the screaming suddenly stopped. In frightened silence, they ran.

-

Spike lay in the chair, sprawling drunkenly muttering to himself"Sodding git, gonna get killed by my own...And how'm I gonna face Buffy? I'd have to sta... I never..." he rambled on completely unaware of the somnambulant figure passing silently toward the door of the crypt.

He's gone he's gone he's gone...chanting over and over into nonsensical mental impressions of darkness and agony, the girl passes in the dark. Blearily, Spike looks over his shoulder, feeling the change in air currents from the displaced air of her passing. Startled, he tries to raise himself from the chair but his feet won't cooperate.

"Maelyn, what.." "Pet, get away from the door." Spikes' anxiety rises as he realized she wasn't responding. "Maelyn...what're ya doin', stop. **STOP**! **MAELYN!** Spike roared as he launched toward her, falling short by a hairsbreadth, landing on the floor.

Maelyn flung open the door and moves into the sunlight streaming through the aperture. Spike lay outstretched, horror etched on his face as... Maelyn is flung backward into the crypt by a flying tackle, Buffy in the lead followed by Dawn who slammed the door shut.

Seeing Spike on the floor, Dawn rushes him, screaming "What have you done, you bastard! What have you done" sobbing in fear and rage she kicked him in the ribs.

"For ...Bloody hell, niblett, get off. Ouch, STOP it, NOW" he growled as she landed another kick to his ribs. He grabbed her foot, stilling the leg action long enough to roll away, getting to his hands and knees. He looked over to see Buffy kneeling, clutching her head. Maelyn was lying curled in a fetal ball on the floor before her.

_Maelyn, _He tentatively sent to her and felt nothing. Shaking his head, what the f..., she wasn't there. The small light in the back of his mind was gone. "Maelyn, please.." his voice hoarse, rasping, as he crawled to the fledgling girl lying shuddering on the hard floor of the crypt.

Buffy can't think, the wailing in her mind making it impossible_. Maelyn, stop, stop, Maelyn, stop. _she chanted in an effort to get through to the girl on the floor who had trapped them both in the closet of her mind.

Suddenly from the darkness, Maelyn heard a voice. It started dimly as a rhythmic sound and soon became words. Words. Not screaming. Words that make sense out of chaos. Buffy. I know this voice...its Buffy, she grasped the knowledge to her as a child would a doll

_Buffy, _Maelyn weakly whispers, _Spike is gone, he left me. Alone, alone alone, it's dark, he's gone._ her voice raising to a wail.

_NO, Maelyn, no. He's here, he's right here. Spike didn't leave, it's ok, I'll stay here until he comes back. It's ok. _Buffy soothes her, fighting the sickness in her stomach at the raw fear in Maelyns' mind.

"Spike. SPIKE"Snap out of it." she yelled at the vampire that knelt motionless on the floor next to his fledgling, one hand stroking her hair. Spike looked slowly up at Buffys' face, dragging his eyes from the girl under his hands. Buffys' heart constricted at the pain there in his uncomprehending eyes. She hardened her heart against it. She needed him to be Spike. Clear-headed, practical Spike.

"You idiot, she snapped"She's in here trapped. In her own private hell-in-her head. You have to link with her, do it"

Aghast, he quested his mind for a clue"I can't Buffy, I don't know how." Buffy picked her up and placed her with Spike, in his lap. As the three touch, blue sparks rise, an invisible wind of swirling channels of blue flame around the three.

Dawn gripped the back of the chair not knowing what to do, watching the ever-growing energy field. The energy whipping them, buffeting their bodies. A hurricane of blue-white light. A whining shrieking becoming audible.

Buffy took Spikes' hand in her own, _Feel her. Spike she's here._

_Spike, _Maelyn sensed him in Buffys' mind. Relief, life, sanity...balance restored. They were one, mind to mind. Neither knowing where one began, where the others ended. Time fell away; Spike felt peace once more. They were there with him. In heaven? No, never him, he thought and then heard Buffy sigh_...home_

The blue energy vortex fell away leaving Dawn staring at three unmoving bodies on the crypts' floor. They lay as they fell. Dawn had placed blankets over them, and pillows under their heads and was now anxiously waiting for someone to wake up. Why oh why, doesn't Spike have a phone? Twenty first century, much?

Buffy woke first trying to remember where she was"Spike? Spike, I have to go home. I've left Dawn alone.", she stated confusedly. "Where did my clothes go"

Dawn gawks at her sister. She's lost her mind. She's confused...Hey, she's fully dressed! Why does she think she's...oh...OH MY GOD! Dawn shakes her head in disgusted comprehension"Buffy! Are you OK? Buffy look at me."

"Dawn" eyes focusing on her young sisters' worried face. "Dawn. How long have we been out"

"How am I supposed to know? Spike doesn't own a clock." she complained.

Whispering, Spike said"Been meanin' to get a watch."

Dawn flew to his body, kneeling next to him she bent over to embrace him. His arm slid awkwardly behind her to semi- return her squeeze. " I'm so sorry, Spike. I'm sorry I kicked you! I'm sorry" Dawn recited in an agony of remorse.

"Twice." he replied with humor. Giving a weak chuckle, he opened his eyes to slits to look into her face, which was screwed up as if ready to cry. "Stop that! Looks like a bloody wombat." Dawn sniffles onto her sleeve and gently slapped his arm.

"Beast."

"Brat."

A harder slap.

"Freak."

"Flooze."

Punch**. "DAWN"**, Buffy and Spike warned simultaneously.

-

They'd moved the unconscious vampire girl to the downstairs chamber. Spike was hovering, not wanting to leave her alone. Alone, again. God, what had he done? Buffy tugged her shirt into place, hands on hips, looking for all the world like Peter Pan facing off Captain Hook.

"Upstairs. Now" she said quietly as she turned to go upstairs hearing him follow.

Dawn busily had prepared Spike a mug, just the way he liked it with that spicy weed in it. The way she had for him on his hangover days when Buffy ...she wasn't going to think that word. She wordlessly handed him the mug as he walked by her.

They are so at ease with each other, Buffy noticed, almost like Willow and Xander when they unconsciously hand each other favorite donuts and sodas at Scooby meetings. Buffy silently waited for him to down the drink, before speaking.

In an attempt to stall the coming rebuke, Spike instructed"Needs more whiskey, Bit, but the spice was right."

Buffy exploded. "She isn't your bloody bartender, damn it" Not even realizing she was pilfering one of his words.

"Spike! What did you do! This was just too stupid and cruel even for you! Damn it, don't you ever think of anyone but yourself" She was on a roll now, pacing, shooting him incendiary looks.

"You have to figure this ...Thing you have with her out. All I need is another lunatic like Drusilla wandering around Sunnydale picking off my friends.", she flung the words like wooden stakes, each one trying to pierce his heart.

"Slayer" Spike began, but was curtly cut off.

"No. Spike, you weren't in there with her. In her head. Not a stable landscape there. Seems she is afraid of dark, closets...as in being imprisoned in one most of her life." Buffy shook her head to rid herself of the lingering images.

"I never meant to hurt her. I was brassed at the girls for scaring the life out of me earlier, I drank a bit. Didn't want to talk to her, so I told her to get out of my head. I didn't realize what I did...I'm still not sure. She just wasn't there.." he looked at Buffy with worried eyes.

"I know what you did." Dawn spoke up.

They both looked over their shoulders at her, startled. Dawn had slid down the back of the sofa and was sitting, knees folded under her.

"She told me that she's been in your head since she was about six. She'd dreamed of you but wasn't sure until now that it was real. She said it used to give her nightmares at first, seeing you ... uh, do vampire stuff. But it got to be normal, well, normal for her, I guess."

Almost shocked beyond words, Buffy asked" Since she was six? She was seeing Spikes' psychotic life in techni-color? That isn't possible, is it" Looking to Spike for some explanation.

Dawn continued in her narrative" Yeah, and sometimes Drusilla I think, she called her the Dark One..But it gets weirder...her dad drank and beat the crap out of her after her mother left, that's how she'd end up in closets. That's when the dreams came to her. "

"Why did her Mum leave her with a sadist like that" Spike was somewhat nonplussed by it, remembering Joyce's love and devotion to the summers girls.

"Something about her returning to 'shining shores', she's not sure, she was only six, you guys." Dawn exasperatedly explained"Spike, you can't shut her out again. She'll die, I just know it."

"Go home, Slayer, Bit. I need time to think without you lot hovering around like some bleedin' conscience." He flicked his hand toward the door.

Buffy took Dawn by the shoulders and pointed her toward the door, stopping to lay her hand on his arm. Sparkage crackled blue between them, causing her to yank her hand back staring at him. Spike smiled slowly,_ I'm in you now, Slayer, you can't hide from me Buffys'_ grip tightened on Dawns' shoulder until Dawn shrugged out of her hands"OW!', she grouched, rubbing her bruised shoulder.

_Don't DO that, Spike Buffy_ hissed at him in his mind.

_Spike..? _came another voice.

"Take care of your family, Spike." Buffy tiredly suggested"I'm taking care of mine." maneuvering Dawnout the door into the evening air, closing the door to the crypt.

-

Holding her was balm to his aching heart. He really hadn't meant to hurt her. She wasn't like Dru, who demanded pain, but something all together different and she had managed to touch him. She had forgiven him for leaving her alone, he cast about in his mind and found her there, it seemed so natural. Had it only been four days? Considering all that had happened, why did four bloody days on the Hellmouth feel like four lifetimes, he mused, as he idly stroked the hair of the now sated, slumbering fledgling.

_-_

_"_Spike, I can't just walk around in your shirts all the time. All I have are the clothes I was "born" in" Maelyn cajoled sweetly, looking down over the back of the sofa. Lying on the sofa watching "Passions", Spike rolled to his back to look into her face.

"Now Pet, where do you figure on goin'? I can't let you out until I'm sure you are past the First Hunger, you know that."

Contemptuously waving her hand, as if brushing that concern aside, she said"Whatever. Like I'm just going to be eating people left and right._" _Spike eyed her curiously.

"Because you're a vampire now, pet. It's what we do."

"You don't."

Sigh.

"So why do I have to...I mean, you like it when we...don't you" she looked uncertainly at him. Spike captured her wrist, slowly drawing her to him over the back of the couch until she lay full length on his lean body.

"More than anything, baby.", stroking his strong hands down her back through the red silk shirt she wore. "And there are other things..." his voice whispered seductively in her hair, as his hands continued to touch her with skilled stroking, curving from her back down toward her hips. She raised her head to look into his face, his hands stilled. What she saw there stirred something in her"What" she asked curiously.

"This.", Spikes' mouth came up to meet hers, kissing her with a passion he didn't know he could feel for another who was not Buffy Summers.She returned it with youthful abandon, wanting this heat, this unknown thing he was offering.

Anyone happening by the crypt would have been astonished by the eerie blue lights flickering, rising and falling like an aurora over the crypt, spilling out of crevasses and under the door.

-

Willow, Anya, Xander and Buffy all piled onto the couch, clutching bowls of popcorn, setting their drinks on the coffee table. Dawn seated herself on the floor by the coffee table, tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth. It was movie night with the Dawnster. Xanders' traditional tradition he'd started when Buffy, well, was gone.

"I called Giles, he said he'd talked to Wesley. Seems the PTB's sent a message via Cordelia about some big bad coming our way." Willow said, around a mouthful of popcorn.

Buffy rolled her eyes and sank deeper into the cushions"Welcome to my nightmare." she quipped sarcastically.

"So, what is it this time" Xander asked as he pointed the remote at the VCR to rewind the tape. Xander was Remote Guy. It was a well-established fact that men had to control the controls. Or so Xander had told them. In a very authoritative way, too. Anya was impressed and was hoping to show him later just how much.

"Well, the vision wasn't too specific about that. It was more about some weapon that the PTB's have arranged for us to have to fight it."

Buffy sat up; interest perked by the word 'weapon'. "You mean like the Sword of Alfalfa, or the Gem of Amara? Something shiny"

"Acathla. Uhmm...no, Buffy, Giles said...well" Willow nervously looked away. Buffy felt dread creeping into her heart. "Angel will be here tomorrow. He's going to tell us what the vision said."

Buffys' heart dropped out of her body. This is bad. It must be apocalyps-y stuff to merit a visit from Angel. God, anyone but him. Why couldn't Wesley come and tell us, she wondered.

"Why couldn't Wesley come tell us." Xander griped, residual resentment of Angel crawling through him.

"Giles said Angel suggested he be the one to come, so I guess we get the Dark Knight himself." , Willow cheerily related, trying to dispel that look Buffy always got in her eyes when Angels' name was mentioned.

Dawn never took her eyes off the TV but took in every word. She was frightened. She hated the "big evil" talk. It always reminded her of when Buffy ...left.

There was a knock on the door. Dawn leapt up from her cross-legged position and rushed to answer it. It was Spike and..."MAELYN!" Dawn squealed in delight.

"Ask her in, Bit."

"Huh? OH! Come in Maelyn" Dawn invited her friend, leading her by the arm into the foyer.

Xander jumped up from the couch, dragging Anya up with him, holding her in front of him as a shield between himself and the fledgling vampire. Realizing his error, he pushed Anya behind him with a sickly look on his face, ignoring her utterance of "Oh for Heavens' sake, Xander."

Willow slowly uncurled to stand beside Buffy unsure of whether there was real danger or if Xander Harris was just being ..She looked over at her childhood friend.. A 'doofus', she thought.

Spike watched their antics in dark amusement. A small smile chiseled on his face, which changed the minute his gaze rested on his mate. Who was having a squealing teenage hugfest with her new friend Dawn. It became softer, gentler...loving, Buffy realized with a shock of recognition. It was like the one Angel had bestowed on her, she had seen it often enough to know the look. How can that be right? she argued with herself, he had no soul. He can't love; she heard her brain saying in that reasonable tone of voice. But when Spike met her eyes she knew her brain was wrong, and so had she been. About all of it.

-

"So I told'er that no one has better taste in fashion than Summers women. ", Spike was saying, while pawing through the refrigerator looking for the beer he knew he'd stashed in the back. Buffy leaned against the counter, arms crossed considering his proposal.

"Well, if you go with them, I guess it's ok. But Spike, we're low on funds so Dawn won't be able to spend much."

"Not to worry, Slayer. I had a good run in a poker game. I got the lucre." he popped the top off the beer with his fingers, taking a drink.

"What, real money? Or kittens? I don't think the mall works on the barter system." Buffy teased. "You know what you're in for, right? Two teenage girls, in a mall, shopping" She flapped her hands toward the door where the girls stood.

"So we can go" Dawns' excited voice came from the doorway.

Spike winked at her, bottle at his lips. Buffy stared at him, stupefied. She turned to Dawn and Maelyn "Go easy on him, you two. He's like a hundred-eighty." she smirked at him.

"Hey" he protested, as he sat the empty bottle on the counter, brushing her arm as he glided by. _You are just evil, Slayer._ his amused voice sounded in her mind. She jumped and glared at him. God she hated people walking around in her head.

"Isn't there some 'uninvite' I can do to keep you out of there" she snapped.

And regretted it the moment she saw the shadow that passed over his face, shuttering it from her, breaking the easy comradre they had been sharing minutes ago. With his hand in the small of her back, he gently guided Maelyn out of the doorway. Not looking back, he herded the whispering, giggling girls out the doorBuffy pressed her hand to her forehead; she could feel a headache brewing. Why do I always do that? She chastised herself

-

"Ok, girls, time to clear out, I'm outa hands.", Spike told them firmly, hoping to convince them. They were done shopping for themselves and were starting to eyeball his clothes. No. He drew the line at two teenagers trying to dress him like one of Drus' bleedin' dolls.

They had only managed to run through half of his bankroll, although he'd been prepared to spend it all not knowing what it cost to clothe people these days. He went where he pleased and took what he wanted. Purchasing stuff was a little too respectable for one thing, him bein' the Big Bad and all. But the pleasure of watching Maelyn enjoying herself took the sting of respectability out of it.

"Ok", they chimed at the same time.

Too easy. He stared at them suspiciously. They looked back, blandly. Innocent expressions plastered to their devious little faces. The little demons, what's' their gig?

They left the mall, the girls walking ahead of him a spate, talking and laughing.Him carting about ten bags apiece and thinking about why he always managed to misstep with Buffy

_Is he listening? _, Dawn wanted to know.

Maelyn briefly scanned him and shook her head negatively_. Nope, Too busy moping over your sister_.

_WHAT! _Dawn was indignant for her friend, after all Spike was her "mate", now. Maelyn had confided that their relationship had moved up a step but had made Dawn promise not to let anyone else know, that she knew. It seemed that Spike felt that aspect of their relationship was not for her ears. Dawn rolled her eyes. God, they all think I'm such a child, she fumed.

_He better keep his thoughts off of her or I'll take him down again. _Dawn vowed, relishing the violent images of her viciously kicking him. Maelyn and Dawn looked at each other and burst out laughing at how ridiculous the threat really was.

_It doesn't bother me, Dawn. He loves her. I want him to be happy." _vampiric in her understanding of relationships...not quite sure about the whole fidelity question, Maelyn accepted Buffy as a part of her relationship with Spike.

_You are amazing, Maelyn... _, Dawn shook her head at her generous hearted friends' acceptance_, It's hard to remember you are really an evil, blood-sucking fiend. _Dawn sent, a sly smile on her face.

Maelyn obliged her friend by shifting to her vampire persona, and roaring at her. Sending Dawn into a paroxysm of giggles and Spike into a flurry of thrown parcels and bags to intercept what he thought was a fledgling out of control.

He tackled her, rolling to cushion the impact with his body. Arms of immobile strength around her, one hand reaching to brush her hair from her face. All the while, whispering calming, encouraging words in her ear.

"Dawn, get back." he warned.

After her initial surprise, Maelyn giggled causing Spike to stiffen beneath her. Dawn walked over to the two lying in the grass"Get a room, you two.'' She sarcastically remarked a smirk on her face as she watched Spike let Maelyn go, climbing to his feet.

Not a word did he speak, silently retrieving the scattered bags. Nervously the two girls looked at each other, and back to him. Crap, Dawn thought, not good. Definitely not good. They walked in heavy, ponderous silence. _Maelyn, will you be ok? Spike can be really pissy sometimes..._ she looked over at her friend, surprising a look of...anticipation?

_ Yeah, maybe he'll...punish me. _ she whispered with a snicker in Dawns' mind. Dawns' mouth made a little 'O', raising her eyebrow she smiled back approvingly. Maybe she'd make him forget about Buffy, that'd be best for everyone, Dawn felt.

They had reached the house, Spike marched them in, dropped all the bags but one on the table.

"Spike, most of these are Maelyns'." Dawn began in protest. "She can get them tomorrow." he snapped, and took his errant childe by the arm and steered her out the front door.

_Are we still 'on' for tonight? _Dawn asked on their 'private' link.

_Sure, I'll meet you out front._


	3. Cry

TITLE- Cry "Havoc" part 3

AUTHOR- Buffitude

DISCLAIMER- not mine, grr-argh...except for the ones that are

RATING- R, although someone who shall remain nameless asked for more sex..uhh...I mean in the story!

SUMMARY- havoc abounds, PTB's' maneuverings being revealed, more havoc...

Thank-you for your encouragement, in the words of Spike...this is ..neat! Comments, flames ..Whatever..

-

Maelyn silently carried her new clothes, looking over her shoulder at Spikes' inert form sprawled gracefully across the bed, covers covering parts, leaving others bare to her appreciative eyes. He'd probably sleep a couple of hours, enough time for she and Dawn to rendezvous and head to the Bronze. She went up the ladderstairs, wraith-like, melting into the darkness.

He had been so silently angry on the way home that by the time they had gotten to the crypt she was phasing in and out of gameface in anxiety. He went straight to the fridge pulling out two blood bags, tossing one to her. Glaring at him, she held it in her hands not sure what he expected of her. He pierced his with fangs, yellow eyes glaring balefully at her, and sucked it dry.

"You better drink up, luv. It's all you're gettin' tonight." He spoke with quiet menace. The childe needed to know now, who was Sire.

She looked down at the cold bag in her hands, up at him, and defiantly threw it at his head. OOPs! Bad move. He caught it easily, ripped it open, drained it and tossed it carelessly aside. He licked his lower lip with his tongue as her eyes followed the motion, his eyes heating with a different fire. A slow cruel smile played across his lips as he tilted his head, shadows playing across his face.

"Come here, baby.", he commanded.

Not that she was opposed, she thought. But by god, she was going to make him work for it. She shifted into the demon, silver eyes blazing, defiant. Hands on hips, _Make me. _

With a snarled oath, the chase was on and two hours later, Maelyn was silently picking her way through the wreckage that used to be the living quarters and the TV room.

-

When the two girls made it to the Bronze, it was jumpin' . They made their way through the line, getting their ID checked. Maelyn didn't have one so she got the stamp reserved for underage people just like Dawn. Once inside, it was a crush of people and noise. Dawn dragged Maelyn to a corner table and ordered two Diet Cokes when the harried waitress came by.

_Wow, look at everyone! Maelyns'_ eyes widened, never imagining there would be so many..guys in one place. Her nostrils flared slightly at the scent of so many male bodies, hearts audible in arrhythmic beats. The stimulus was incredibly exciting to the fledgling vampire.

Dawn looked at her friend. Her beautiful face was transfixed in a rapturous expression, sharpness to her eyes, a softness to her mouth. What is that about, she wondered? Not recognizing the expression of arising bloodlust.

_So, I bet all the guys will ask you to dance ...you know, unnatural vampire attraction and all. You are really pretty you know. _ Dawn sent, rather than trying to talk over the din.

_You really think so? That I'm pretty, I mean? _Maelyn hesitantly asked Dawn, in the way that one would who has never been told such a thing.

Dawn snorted, _ What? Never use a mirror? and_ saw the look on her friends face_, Oh! Shit Maelyn, I forgot... with the no reflection. I'm sorry_

Maelyn waved it away_, I think I know how to make the guys ask you too, if you are afraid they won't because of me. _she tentatively offered.

_Really? What can you do,_ Dawn asked curiously.

_I think I could ..Tweak up your pheromone output a little, I've been in you, I think I could do it. It's not harmful and it'll make them come like bees to pollen. _

_Kewl! Do it, this will be great!_ Dawn clapped her hands together and rubbed her palms together, a mischievous look on her face. _They'll never know what hit 'em. _

Next thing the girls knew there were six guys hanging out at their table. They danced until Dawn was flushed and perspiring freely. Maelyn started to notice something troubling. There were now close to fifteen guys around them and when they had been on the dance floor more than once several boys had who tried to get WAY to close had boxed them in.

_Dawn, hmm, I think there may be a problem, _Maelyn nervously noted the attention they were attracting.

_ Yeah, no kidding! she_ hissed at her in a frightened tone as she felt a male body pressing against her in another intimate manner.

"Hey guys, we gotta go to the little girls room, out of the way!" Dawn sprang to her feet, grabbing Maelyns' hand dragging her along. They moved swiftly through the crowded room but their passing swiveled heads on necks to follow their progress. Soon there was a pack of human males following them to the restroom; the agitated girls slammed the door, turning the lock. They looked at each other and laughed, the locked door making them feel safe.

"How're we going to get out of this" Dawn wondered, looking at the vampire, who had an odd contemplative look on her face.

"The window, I'll boost you through first, then you can pull me up."

Dawn eyed the window and jumped when there came a thud on the outside of the door. Then another...uh-oh. "Maelyn..", Dawn apprehensively looked at her friend.

"Hey, look. A change of plans. You, through the window. Wait for me in the alley. I'm drawing these guys off." Maelyn seriously looked at Dawn"Don't argue. I have vampire strength, they're human. I doubt they could hurt me even if they could catch up with me." She firmly explained her plan exhibiting more confidence than she felt for Dawns' benefit.

Maelyn boosted Dawn through the bathroom window, smiling and waving to her when she crouched near it looking back in at her.

_See ya in a minute_

_Hurry up!_

-

Spike awoke lazily, reaching for the form of his mate...And froze. No one there. He swiftly got up, closed his eyes, cocking his head aside listening. He didn't feel her anywhere in the crypt. He then went into his mind, felt for the link and felt it flare open. A rush of images, scents, sounds.

He opened saffron eyes. THE BRONZE! Gods. There is a fledgling loose at the Bronze. Thinking back to the innocent looks the two girls had bestowed on him earlier that night, he growled. I'm going to KILL those two when I catch them, he vowed in fury.

-

Buffy was bored. Not much vamp action tonight, she complained silently. Twirling her stake in a practiced gesture, she glanced up at the night sky, the moon was lowering in the dark canopy of stars. It was getting late. May as well head home. Well, there is always Spike, I could go by and see what's what. NO!... there would be no "whating" with Spike! With that vow firmly in place she marched away toward home.

The walk home had relaxed her and she was ready to hit the sack but as she drew closer to her house she saw lights on and a car parked out front. ?Willow has company? Who would be here at this time of night! Well, she could find out simply enough, she did live here. Opening the door, Buffy strode hurriedly in to see Willow and OZ! They were sitting on the sofa, coffee in hand; both looked up at her entrance.

"Oz", Buffy said in surprise"It's great to see you"

Oz put down his coffee and stood with a smooth grace she didn't recall in the boy she remembered.

"Hey Buffy. Good to see you. I stopped by to say "hey" and found Willow...I didn't know she was staying here." The young werewolf smiled"I had some car trouble, I thought I'd impose on you to put me up a few days. I normally wouldn't ask..." Buffy interrupted him.

"No, Hey, no problem Oz.", Buffy quickly said"You can stay, we have the couch at Motel Buffy. It's been given three stars. Not a four star establishment, but hey, it's the Hellmouth." she quipped with a smile.

Oz grinned. Psych! Yeah, that looked like a grin, shaking her head unable to believe how much he has changed.

"Well, you two catch up. I'm beat, I think I'll peep in on Dawn and hit the showers." she said over her shoulder, as she wearily climbed the stairs.

Oz contemplated her exhausted figure as she made her way up the stairs"She's got some major burn-out going there." he said in a serious tone. Willow gazes after her, and looked at him, sorrow and worry in her expressive eyes..

"Oh Oz, its all my fault."

"I'M GOING TO KILL HER"

Two pairs of startled eyes flew to the enraged Slayer at the top of the stairs.

"Dawns' snuck out again." Buffy snarls as she stalked back down the stairway that she had just expended so much energy to ascend seconds ago.

"We can take my car" Oz offered" Do you have any idea where she could be"

The same thing occurs to the three causing them to look at each other in understanding.

"THE BRONZE"

-

Maelyn took a deep breath to calm her already frayed nerves. She unlocked the door to the restroom and opened it. Outside the door she is faced with a mob of human males, pheromones charging the air around them beginning to lessen, and dissipate now that Dawns' enhanced pheromones were no longer present. Unfortunately, they were still at a high enough level that at the sight of the inhuman beauty she presented; they closed around her like a pack. But they had no idea of the danger they were in.

The fledgling hadn't fed that night. The blood that normally was offered by her Sire had been withheld. Which left an immature vampire with little control in the middle of an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

Their blood was singing to her. It was begging her for release, and she wanted it. It took all she had to push herself through the mob and leave the mad singing behind her. She had left Dawn alone outside in the alley, and being a creature of the night, knew she couldn't leave her there. It was the friendship for Dawn that drew her from the rapidly deteriorating situation inside the club.

Staggering outside into the street in front of the Bronze, she bent over, shaking with hunger. Why hadn't she taken what Spike had offered earlier? She didn't know it would be like this, this terrible need, this fire in her veins. She had underestimated the demon, and now was a danger to every bloodbearing male in the vicinity.

"Are you alright, Miss?" a male voice asked as she felt a touch on her elbow.

Her head snapped up. The demon roared in her demanding release. Just this once, it whispered. Take him to the alley Because you're a vampire now, pet. It's what we do. , the sly voice suggested.

She licked her lips and replied"If you want to live, you'LL RUN" And slipped into gameface on the last growled out word, grimacing in pain. He ran.

Pain of wanting, of not having. She leaned against the brick of the building, feeling the coolness of it's surface against skin that was on fire, and rolled around the corner into the alley using the wall to keep herself upright. She turned until she rested her face against the wall...she thought she was going to be sick.

"Maelyn" Dawn approached her friend swiftly, she knew enough about vampires to know this was serious.

_"DON'T LOOK AT ME" _Maelyn cried out in agony"Don't...don't look at me." she whispered in a broken voice. How could Dawn ever like her if she saw the lust for blood on her face, how could she stay her friend?

"Maelyn, it's going to be ok. Turn me off, so I can get you home," Dawn gently reasoned with her struggling friend.

_Done_

-

By the time Spike arrived at the Bronze, there was some kind of disturbance going on inside, what looked to be a near riot. Ballocks! Looked like he was too late to avert disaster, the girls had already created a small war zone. He knew it was them. He could smell the pheromone charged air and had detected Dawns' scent. He inhaled through his mouth sucking the air in over his tongue; he could taste them... But no blood. None had been spilled, yet. which meant that the girls were no longer present. He was under no illusions about what a hungry fledgling was capable of and paled even further than his normal pallor. Dawn may be in danger. Maelyn for some reason had never expressed much interest in drinking from females, he realized, remembering her reactions to Buffy and Dawn, comparing it to when she saw Harris. Maybe his feeding her had connected that act with sex and the male version of Happy Meals on legs. He hoped his conjecture was right, but he needed to find them... Where did they get to?

He linked with her and saw the ..ground? The landscape jiggled like someone was unsteadily filming with a hand-held video recorder. _ Maelyn, where are you pet? Tell me. I'll come for you. _Spike soothingly spoke to her.

_No! fear_ coming from her in the one short word...fear of him? Balls! He'd done it good this time. She was afraid of him, of what he'd do and refused to tell him where she was putting the Bit and herself in danger. He frowned, this just wouldn't do. We're goin' to hash this out later, he vowed, after I find her an' give her a bloody thrashin'.

A black car roared up to the Bronze people piling out of it like the clown car at the circus. Spike watched as Buffy, Red, and...Wolf-boy noticed him and swiftly made their way to his side. Spike was standing immobile, concentrating on getting a fix on the girls when they had spied him. Just his soddin' luck, he sighed in exasperation.

"Spike", Buffy rushed to him"I need your help. Dawn..."

He cut her off"They aren't here. They've already buggared off, I can't get a fix on them." Willow and Oz are staring apprehensively at the door of the Bronze where people were beginning to chuck each other into the street, a brawl spreading outside. Buffy and Spike observe the growing tangle of bodies pouring out of the club.

"What's going on?" the Slayer asks no one in particular, frowning.

Spike made a rude noise"Dawn the Destroyer and my fledgling seem to have made short work of the soddin' place. Today the Bronze, tomorrow the Hellmouth." his voice dripped sarcasm.

Buffy does a silent calculation"Yeah, well it is Tuesday." She observed wryly.

-

The moons' silver illumination covered the night, helping the girls pick their way down the street, making their way to the playground at the park. Intermittently, one would stumble to her knees resting, struggling for control before being drawn to her feet again by her friend. Once they reached the playgrounds' picnic table Dawn released Maelyn, who dropped to the ground next to it. She managed to lay her head on the bench, cheek pressed to it's grainy painted surface.

"Maelyn, we need help. Can't you just call Spike? He'll come, I know he won't be mad." seeing the disbelief on the others' face"Well not much, anyhow." She amended.

Maelyn looked at her from a demons face"Dawn. You don't know what he'd do... What he'd be allowed to do. He's my Sire. I remember things when he and the Dark One were together...Bad things." she ended in a hoarse whisper. She could feel a lassitude stealing over her like liquid fire. The Hunger, it was relentless.

A small wrist was shoved before her face"Here, Maelyn, take it if you need some.." , Dawn innocently offered.

The fledgling slapped Dawns' arm away, growling"STOP it! I ..I can't. I'll hurt you, Dawn..." tears leaking from eyes closed against temptation. Dawn slid down from the bench to sit next to her best friend on the ground. She lay her head on the bench so that her face was directly in front of Maelyns'.

"I trust you. I know I'm just a girl, and you don't like girls, but it's blood. It'll just be so we can make it home before the sun comes up." Dawn reasoned, her voice quivering"PLEASE, please, Maelyn. I'm so tired of everyone I love dying." tears were flowing silently down her cheeks"I'm sick of it, this place kills everyone I care about and I won't let it happen to you" she vowed, presenting her wrist to Maelyns' lips.

Maelyn closed her eyes. She could hear Dawns' hearts-blood shushing through her veins, carefully she sat up. Looking into Dawns' eyes, she gingerly took hold of her arm. Dawn patiently waited, trust on her face, for the bite that would come. Never breaking contact with her eyes, she delicately sank her fangs into the offered wrist, feeling Dawn flinch, she stilled.

"It's ok, go on.", Dawn reassuringly encouraged her, around the pain.

Maelyn, her eyes never leaving Dawns' began to draw from her the blood that had once opened the gateway to worlds.

-

"We've looked everywhere, where the hell did they get to" Spike flung out in disgust. Outwitted by children! He'd never live this down, he groused as he lit up a cigarette.

"Hey, watch the apolstery, this is real leather." Oz glanced at him from the drivers' seat.

Spike blew out smoke"Ease up, mate."

Willow leaned forward, hand on the back of Spikes' seat. "We haven't looked at the house, maybe they're home now" The silence in the car was deafening. Willow was flung back into her seat when Oz romped on the accelerator, screeching his tires. Spike looked at him in appreciation.

"What do you have in it"

"It's factory. It's not mine, though, I got it at the rental place," Oz replied"My van's in the shop."

Buffy couldn't believe they were talking cars and motors"Guys! Focus" She snapped, exasperated as the car rolled to a stop in front of her house.

Bailing out of the car the four ran to the house, bursting through the door. Frantically, Buffy charged up the stairs. Willow shot off to the kitchen.

Spike saw them first. Dawn was sitting upright on the couch, wrist bandaged with surgical gauze, an afghan covering her. Maelyn sat on the floor next to her with her head resting in her lap. Dawns' other hand rested where it had fallen before sleep had over taken them both, on Maelyns' head

A gallon jug of orange juice sat on the coffee table, almost empty. Along with an empty mug that had contained blood earlier, he deduced at a glance. Oz lay his hand on Spikes' arm, gaining his attention. Spike looked at him, face haggard.

"I'll carry Dawn. We'll put them to bed upstairs."

Spike wordlessly nodded agreement and lifted his childe in his arms, cradling her carefully to his chest, relief spreading through him. He drew a hitching breath and sighed. Oz scooped Dawn off the couch as Buffy met Spike on the stairs, and Willow stood silently in the doorway, hand on the wooden jam, steadying herself.

Snap. Oz was shocked by a static charge, little blue sparks flying when he touched Dawn. That was weird, he thought briefly, then mentally shrugged it off turning to carry her up stairs.

"Spike, you can stay in Moms' room, put her in there. It's too late for you to leave now, the sun's almost up. We all need some sleep. We can deal with this in the morn...well, after everyones' up" she amended as she walked back up the stairs.

"Will, you can have my bed, I'll take the floor."

Oz met them at the top of the stairs. "She's all tucked in. I'll get the lights." he offered, on his way downstairs to the couch.

"Thanks Oz" Willow said sleepily, with a sweet smile as she passed him, brushing his arm. He felt a slight static charge, and frowned. A humidifier wouldbe a great addition to the decor, he decided, and turned out the lights.

-

"She didn't hurt me" Dawn spat angrily, snatching her arm away from Buffys' grip. "I MADE her do it, she didn't want to, but I made her. So just stop it, Buffy"

"Dawn, she's dangerous. Haven't you learned about vampires by now? You can't just make friends with them or boyfriends out of them" she lectured, infuriated with her sister.

Leveling a look of pure adolescent hatred at Buffy"Right." Dawn sneered contemptuously" You're the one to talk. Buffy-I-screwed -a vampire-and-he-lost-his-soul. Miss-I-shagged- Spike-and-got-away-with-it" Dawn flung at her, oblivious to Buffys' shock, and Willows' surprise.

"YOU'D like that, wouldn't you?" she continued heatedly"To have an excuse to get rid of Maelyn so you could have Spike all to yourself", she accused.

"Well, I won't let you!" she growled in a startlingly vampiric voice"You aren't taking everything away from me, you are just jealous" Dawn shrieked at her, whirling away through the door and up the stairs.

BLAM!

They heard her door slam.

Buffy closed her eyes. "Is it true", Willows' voice came to her.

-

Willow sat at the table. Leaning forward, a cup of peppermint tea between her palms eyes on Buffy. Watching her best friend struggle to tell her about the revelation Dawn had made about Spike.

"It's not ...it's not like she made it sound" Buffy thrust out" I...", she floundered, starting again"We.." she looked up at Willow with pain and confusion in her eyes. Guilt, shame written on her face.

"What is it then, luv." Spikes' voice carefully questioned. Buffy jumped unaware that he had been standing in the doorway, she looked at him standing there in his black jeans and shirt, his platinum hair rumpled from sleep.

Her eyes raised to his face, so familiar to her now, seeing pain written there fleetingly. She swallowed the lump that had raised in her throat, blinking rapidly to dispel the sheen of tears there, in her hazel eyes, refusing them the escape they demanded.

Willows' eyes moved back and forth between them, leaning back into her chair, dragging her teacup to her lips. And I thought I have problems, she thought.

Buffy came to her feet, looking down at the table, unwilling to meet his eyes"Not now Spike. I don't want to do this now." Not in front of Willow, not when I don't understand it myself, she silently pleaded, hoping he'd hear her.

"When?" he demanded, uncaring of the audience. She looked at him then, and saw the frustration and hurt and anger in his eyes. "Tonight."

"Right, then.'' and moved into the kitchen, to make preparations for his breakfast.


	4. Cry

TITLE- Cry "Havoc,'' part 4

AUTHOR- Buffitude

RATING- R

DISCLAIMER- Joss is master, all hail Joss...grr-arhhg, he Sired them all...except for those he didn't.

FEEDBACK-Yep.

-

They filed into the Magic Box, a few at a time after sundown. Anya had turned the sign in the window and was now counting the cash drawer, doing her dance of Capitalist Superiority. In one shadowed corner a darkly dressed masculine figure sat quietly, watching from dark eyes of warm mocha brown, arms crossed, his legs outstretched before him.

Buffy held the door, gesturing her sister and a girl Angel didn't recognize through the threshold. Eerily beautiful, he noticed. Vampire. He knew from the graceful way she moved into the shop. They hadn't noticed him yet and it gave him time to drink in the sight of the Slayer before she got all self-conscious and awkward around him. Her natural grace making him smile. A smile that quickly faded at the sight of the blond vampire touching Buffy in the small of her back with an intimate knowledge, guiding her inside the doorway. Angels' brows drew down in a scowl...what was Spike doing here?

Spike knew he was there and had taken the opportunity to make his position with Buffy clear to the other vampire, all in a touch. Spike looked into his GrandeSires' eyes and smirked, satisfied with Angels' subtle tensing and not so subtle scowl. Spike made 'kissy lips' at him, causing Angel to sit bolt upright in his chair, all senses trained on his offending Childe of the Line. Spike looked away, unable to Challenge...not here. Not yet.

Xander was sitting on a stool next to the sales counter; chin in hand, watching Anya tally up the days' sales. At the jingle of the bells above the door, he turned to see Buffy, Dawn, Maelyn, and Spike enter the shop. He nervously slid off the stool and stepped behind the counter, putting room between himself and the fledgling vampire. Maelyn saw Xander' attempt to remain nonchalant about his moving and smiled at him nastily.

The door jingled again, revealing Willow and ...OZ! Surprise registering on both Xander and Angels' faces.

"Oz-man", Xander exclaimed, forgetting his intrepidation at Maelyns' presence as he rushed to meet the other man"What brings you back to the Hellmouth"

"Good to see you, Xan." Oz quietly spoke, clasping the offered hand" Just passing through, didn't expect to be summoned to a Scooby meeting. Seems like old times."

Hearing people enter the shop, Tara appeared at the top of the loft's stairs looking down at everyone gathering in the center around the table. She nervously smoothed her blouse front and walked down the steps. Being around Willow was still awkward but it was better with others around and she wasn't the only one here with relationship issues if she read the room correctly, the auras were flaring tonight. Her eyes perused the assembly below, skimming their auras making mental notes for later contemplation. She briefly rested her eyes on the hauntingly beautiful girl next to Dawn before continuing past...gulped...swinging her astonished gaze back. Well, that was new, she thought uneasily. The girls' aura was showering silver like a Fourth of July sparkler. Tara narrowed her eyes, this one needed watched. She blew a piece of hair off her face; this meeting wasn't going to be a picnic. More like an awkward family reunion.

-

"So, I'm sure you all are wondering why I called you here tonight." Willow began, stopping to grin at everyone "I always wanted to say that."

A myriad of eye rolling, giggles, and smiles from her friends at the table. "We got trouble, people." she continued, "Angel had information about what we can expect. Cordelias' vision girl for the PTBs and well, Angel...tag, you're it." she plopped into her chair. Angel moved out of the shadows to the table where he solemnly contemplated every face.

"We have had in our possession certain prophetic scrolls, they have made references to certain prophecies regarding the Slayer and the Three. The challenge has been in real translation. Wesley and...Others have made errors in interpreting their exact meanings. So while they are able to direct or give warnings, we can't be a hundred percent." he related, thinking of the prophesy about the birth of Connor." This is what we do know from Cordys' vision. There is a coming evil; world altering events...and the battle will be fought by two groups called the Triads. Two sets comprised of three people each. They are the weapon. The Power of Three, of three, will defeat the Three. That was Wesley's translation, he said in the repeating of the phrase 'of three' it indicated two groups of three, Cordy agreed."

Willow and Tara looked at each other in sudden understanding, at least part of what Angel had revealed made sense to the two witches.

"Well, that makes sense! Hm, three being a number of power, raised by three giving us six, another number of power.", Tara volunteered "The power of Three."

"Well, ok. But who are the Triads" Buffy questioned apprehensively, a growing suspicion connecting in her mind. What isn't he telling us, she wondered.

"There will be a Catalyst, a Ground, and a Focus. They will be able to generate a force, anchor it, and direct it. Hopefully it will be enough." Angel was finished.

Suddenly, Spike threw his head back laughing with genuine amusement. All eyes swiveled to watch his inappropriate response to what appeared to be a fairly serious situation brewing.

"Oh, come on, luv. Can't you guess? It's us. You and me, n' my brat childe over there." he gestured toward Maelyn, who had froze under the weight of everyone's' sudden regard. "Who else glows in the dark like a bloody blue cyclone", he chuckled, shaking his head "This is just rich"

-

Childe? Spike Sired a childe? Angels' mind was spinning. He called her 'luv' ! What the hell is going on between those two!

Buffys' mind was racing, how did she get into this? She was in a Triad with Spike, of all people, and his fledgling!

"Blood, Sex, Magic" Willow blurts.

All eyes flew back to her. What the hell?

Involved in her own revelation, she completely missed the looks on everyone's faces. "It's strong, but usually used by witches involved in darker magics."

"By using blood, the magic raised is powerful, it is the easiest way. Next is sexual energy, created by...well, it raises the power too." Tara explained, falling into the habit she and Willow always had of augmenting each others thoughts and words.

"It makes sense. Spike and Maelyn are the blood, since he feeds her himself." Angel raised an eyebrow in surprise at that news, looking over at Spike, who seemed torn between embarrassment and possessive pride. Willow continued on" Buffy and Spike would be the Sex catalyst since they..." she suddenly realized what she had spoken out loud and stopped, horrified. Looking at Buffys' bloodless face.

Spike moved to stand behind Buffy, in a protective stance glaring at Xander and Angel, daring them to make something of it. Maelyn had fluidly moved to stand behind him, flanking Buffy, her hand went to his arm. His to Buffys' shoulder. They connected. Sparks flew, blue flame shot almost to the ceiling, rotating in a vortex around the three.

Shock registered on every face but those of the Triad. The connection moved in them, freeing them, making them one. It felt..right. Oz spoke to Spike "Man, you're safe here, disarm the Nuke."

Spike took his had away from the Slayer and broke the contact, allowing the energy field to spin itself out. A cacophony of noise as everyone spoke at once, excited, angry, conciliatory until Anya bellowed "Shut up. Will you just shut up"?

"We know who they are." she pointed at the Triad. "But who are the other three"

" I know who the Catalyst is." Maelyn spoke out.

-

"It's Dawn."

"NO", Buffy leapt to her feet. "It isn't. It can't be. It has to be someone else." she whirled around to Maelyn "You are wrong. We aren't involving my sister in this. Ever"

"Slayer, just listen to what she has to say..." Spike gently admonished, reaching out to touch her but she shrugged away from him, wrapping her arms around her chest. Angel made an involuntary move toward her, instinctively responding to her pain and confusion. He found his path obstructed by a very agitated fledgling in game face.

"Stay away." she hisses in fury.

Angel is nonplussed by this development, rearing away from the young vampire. Glancing at Spike "Spike" he began dangerously "Teach your childe about the niceties of NOT threatening her Grandsire." Maelyn continued to growl at him warningly, staying between Buffy and the larger vampire, not seeing any familial resemblance.

"That would be Great-GrandeSire, mate." Spike reminded him with amusement, his childes ferocious antics making him smile.

Dawn stood up suddenly and stated '' You all think I'm a baby or something. If I am part of a Triad- thing-y, than I am. I was a key once, it's not like I don't know that this stuff is dangerous. I do. But you can't just not let me if these "powers" say I am part of it.''

"She's right, you know", Anya replied" No one just ignores the Powers, not even the lower realms.", she stated matter-of-factly.

"An..", Xander said warningly.

'' No, Xander.'' Anya glared at him "I will not be quiet. I am a thousand years older than you. And know things. You should respect that."

Oz brought everyone back to earth. '' I think we should revisit the original statement made here." he nodded toward Maelyn.

Buffy regained her equilibrium and sat on Xanders' vacated stool by the sales counter. "Maelyn, what makes you think its Dawn"?

"She's a meld...uhm, a hybrid? Like me. I felt it when she gave me her blood. I saw her. She's all green and glow-y, but she's human too." Maelyn explained, '' I'm a vampire, but have been melded with a human soul..." she uncertainly looked to Spike, and he nodded.

"They are Catalysts then, because of their enmeshed souls", Willow deduced, '' That leaves us with Spike, who is probably the Ground, and Buffy who is most likely the Focus. We need two more.'' she looked uncertainly around the room.

Xander raised his hands defensively "Hey, don't look at me. No sparkage here." , he nervously looked at Anya as she glared at him for raising the possibility of him being involved in any part of Sex magic. ''And no BLOOD, either.", he pointed firmly at Maelyn, who bared her fangs at him, secretly amused by his anxiety of her.

A moments silence, then Oz quietly stated "I'm one.''

Raised eyebrows all around.

-

''And then I got like a super-charged static wallop when I picked her up from the couch." Oz related to the group sitting back at the table. Spike now sat on the stool, with Maelyn standing between his legs, leaning back into him. He petted her hair to its' ends, curling it idly around his fingers thinking about the turn events had taken that evening.

Angel stood slightly behind Tara, making her nervous; she kept glancing back toward him so he moved around the table to stand by Ozs' chair. Which put him directly across from Spike, who smiled sardonically at him.

Spike, I'm getting hungry, maybe we should go. Maelyn suggested, still anxious over her close encounter with her demon the night before.

"Ok, baby. We can pack it in for the night, we know our role in this little soap-opera.'' Spike spoke out loud.

"You'd know all about those, wouldn't you Spike.", Xander taunted.

"Shut up Harris.''

Buffy sighed tiredly "I think we know all there is to know for now. I guess we can adjourn." Realizing she still had to have the dreaded 'talk' with Spike before the night was over. Everyone gathered their belongings and moved to the door, a hand came down on her shoulder "Buffy, we need to talk." she heard Angel say.

-

Spike stood on the walk outside the Magic Box smoking a cigarette, watching the girls chattering with each other. They'd become almost inseparable. Gotta keep an eye on those two or they'd likely destroy the entire downtown area with another soddin' riot. Wonder where Angelus' planning on staying tonight. The interferin' bastard. He sure as hell wasn't letting him stay at Buffys', may as well offer'em a place on the sofa. Keep your bleedin' enemies close...

Angel and Buffy walked out into the night air and were waylaid by Spike "So mate, what're your plans? Motel 6"

"What", Buffy looked shocked. Angel glared at Spike, who realized their misunderstanding of his inquiry. Figures, he thought angrily. Enunciating carefully, Spike rephrased himself.

"Just offering you a spot on the sofa, if you need a place." he quietly spoke, looking at Buffy with a mixture of injured pain, and regret.

Eyeing him with suspicion, Angel was surprised. There was no love-loss between him and William from the last time Angelus came out to play, but he carefully accepted in a neutral tone" That...that would be decent of you Spike." Spike slapped his erstwhile rival on the back "We're off then." nodding toward the girls "Maelyn, Dawn get movin'"

The three adults walked a bit behind their younger charges, silently not knowing what to say to each other.

"So, Spike. You've given me a Great-Grande Childe and didn't even write", Angel teased, much to the surprise of the other two.

"Do they make a Hallmark for that", Buffy quipped, getting into the spirit of things.

Spike snorted "Not bloody likely." They all laughed.

"We'll drop Dawn off at the house. Willow and Oz said they'd keep an eye." Buffy revealed to the consternation of Angel. Spike watched the interplay not sure how he felt but certain he didn't like it.

"Buffy" Angel began, 'we can talk at your house."

Deciding to take the vampire by the fangs, she let him have it. "Look! This isn't about you, Angel. It isn't always about us. I happen to need time alone with Spike, we need to talk."

Spike looked at Angel from lowered lashes, well, that certainly went well.

"Oh." Angel digested this information "Ok."

"I also need to talk to you and can't do all this talking if I have to watch Dawn!'' she said in exasperation.

"Damn straight. Takes both eyes to keep track of that girl... And chains. And rope..." Spike put in hoping to diffuse the tension. Buffy met Spikes' eyes and burst out laughing.

-

They were almost to the crypt when Spike looked at Buffy and Angel saying "We'll leave you to it.'' and entered the crypt, his arm around Maelyn gently guiding her into their home.

"He had a sofa. In there" Angel looked at the outside of the crypt skeptically.

"Yes, he does. And a TV, a microwave, a fridge, a chair, a bed...all the things that make a house a home.'' she responded absently, thinking about Maelyn. "It's really pretty decent the way he fixed it up.

''And you know this because..." Angel looked at her, knowing, but needing to hear it from her. Buffy walked away toward a grave marker and seated herself comfortably on it before looking at him. He followed her and seated himself on the ground, legs stretched out.

She sighed a deep breath out, it sounded like it had been wrenched from deep inside her. "Angel, you've been gone a lone time. Don't judge me. You have no idea how hard this is for me. All of it. Living, dying, living. It gets so confusing. Just a big blur, sometimes I'm not sure which I am. Alive or dead."

''You're alive, Buffy. Thank all Powers for that."

"No. I have my friends to "thank" for that, I was dead, I was at peace, and they changed all of it. I was in heaven, and they brought me back, to this place. With all the pain, and horror and...'' she stopped unable to continue.

Angel stared at her. "Buffy, you never told me. Where you were. I'm...'' she interrupted him.

"The only one who knew was Spike. He wasn't part of it, bringing me back. He was...is the only one who I could stand to be around. He has a stillness...he wasn't bright, he wasn't cheerful, didn't remind me of all I had lost. He's been my rock.'' she gazed down at Angel.

"Do you love him", Angel asked her quietly, a haunted look on his face "Buffy, you know he is a monster."

"Angel, I carry a darkness inside of me all the time. I'm as much of the darkness as he is, in ways. He sees that in me and accepts it, unconditionally accepts me." she tried to explain. "Do I love him? Not like I do you.'' She honestly admitted. "You were the love of my youth, innocent, shiny, and new. This isn't that. There is no way to compare the two. But it's real, and it's messy, and it stands on it's own."

"There's no shame in that.'' Angel managed to say. "I can't believe, Spike, though. I mean that it is him."

Laughing with a catch in her voice "Yeah, me neither."

''Angel", she wistfully " Do you hate me" her pain poured into every word.

Thinking of the circumstances culminating in the birth of his son, he replied, ''Never." paused "You still my girl"

"Always."

-

Spike, it'll be all right. Buffy won't leave us; she's one of our Triad. Family. , Maelyn watched Spike pouring a mixture of whiskey and blood into a brandy glass, agitatedly.

"Spike. Come here." she commanded.

Swallowing the drink in one smooth motion, he lowered his head to look at her with eyes burning with sweet promise. A sensuous smile forming on his handsome lips.

"Make me."

Maelyn launched herself at him. He caught her in midair, in front of him and drew her in until she was pressed against him. She swiftly raised her legs to wrap around his waist; he grasped her firmly by her hips looking into her eyes as she slowly advanced on his lips with her mouth. Blue lights swirling around them, energy rising.

CRASH!

The sound of what seemed to be a struggle was coming from inside the crypt. Buffy leaped off the stone moving toward the crypt, Angel grabbed her leg "uh, Buffy.."

"What? Angel, I need to check on them something could be wrong."

Angel cursed under his breath. He could hear what was "wrong", damn Spike, hadn't he explained about vampire familial relations? And what the devil was that blue light coming from the crypt?

BANG!

The door to the crypt flew open. Buffy. Spike groaned as Maelyn sank her fangs deep, the feeling of her feeding pushing him over the edge, no longer caring that Buffy may see them together on the bed, entwined together in passion.

"Spike", Buffy was frantic, remembering how dangerous the vortex was when active. The light pulsated from the lower chamber, almost like a heart beat. The energy whine of the vortex, shrill. Angel put a staying hand on her and said"Let me go."

Buffy looked at him questioningly.

"He must be feeding her, it's dangerous." he lied. Angel made his way down the ladder steps, the electric charge in the air as palpable as the scent of arousal surrounding the two lovers on the bed. Angel cleared his throat, causing Maelyn to shriek and roll off the top of Spike, taking the coverlet with her. Wearing nothing but a scowl, Spike propped himself up on his elbows "What the hell do you want"

"Buffy" Angel ground out between clenched teeth "is up there." pointing to the stairs. "Worried that there is a problem here."

"Sod off, mate. You can keep her busy. I've got a previous engagement." Spike sullenly responded to Angels' rebuke.

"You Asshole."

"You guys through? Cause I want to get dressed." Maelyn stood up, dragging the blanket with her. Spike caught the tail end of it in his fist and pulled on it, causing her to yank it away from him testily. He grinned at her.

Angel contemplated the beautiful girl standing expectantly by the bed, wrapped in the satin coverlet "William", using the name to let him know he would brook no argument"You and Buffy need to talk. And I want to get to know my Great-Grande childe."

-

Their patrol had been uneventful, and now they sat side-by-side, each lost in their own thoughts, their easy companionship broken by a world of unspoken words. He leaned back into the marble robes of the monument, one knee up, arm resting on it, his other leg dangling languidly. He drew deeply on a cigarette, tilting his head up and exhaling the smoke in a long breath. The quarter moon released enough light to play across the planes of his face, all shadow and light; more beautiful than the angel he rested against.

Thnk. Tappity, tap. Thunk. The sound of wood against marble. Spike slid a look at Buffy who sat with her head down, her hair curtaining her face from his eyes. Thunk. Thunk. Tap. Tappity-thuunk! The wooden stake held in her hand was being struck on the marble between her open legs as she sat silently.

thunk. Thu...he placed his hand on top of hers, stilling it. "You aren't going to make this easy for me, are you." , Buffy quietly spoke, raising her head to look at him.

An almost imperceptible lift to the corner of his lips was his response.

"You know, Spike. I do know what goes on between you and Maelyn.", she suddenly revealed. Spike eyes her with surprise "Buffy..."

"No.", she waved away his protest "It's a bloodline thing, I read Giles Watchers' diaries, it's a vampire thing and it doesn't concern me..." she trailed "Do you love her", she hesitantly asked, trying not to show any emotion. He looked at the woman he loved more than his existence.

"She's not you." simple, honest.

"De ja vu."

"What", Spike reared back to look at her. No explanation forthcoming, he continued on "She looks at me and sees a man beneath the monster." a note of wistfulness creeping into his voice unnoticed by him, unbidden. "But I am a monster." he shifted his face, peering at her from feral yellow eyes.

Completely unaffected, she acknowledged his display with, ''So Angel told me." smiling at him.

Blink. "You talked about us." not believing his ears "With Angel."

She slipped off the monument, coming to stand in front of him, between his knees. Her hand gently tracing his ridged brow, drawing down to cradle his cheek in her palm. Catching her hand with his own, holding it against his cheek "What do you see, when you look at me", braces himself, remembering her calling him an "evil thing".

"I see you."

Spike closed his eyes and turned into her palm, pressing his lips to it, sighing deeply exhaling the breath he didn't even know he'd drawn and held.

-

Entering the crypt, Spike and Buffy came up short at the sight before them. Sitting on the sofa, both arms slung across the back, were Angel and curled against him was Maelyn, her face turned up to his with rapt attention. The TV was on, playing an episode of "Worlds' Most Dangerous Police Chases." Angel was speaking authoratatively "You see where the perp tried to cut and run? And the officer pulled his shirt over his head to subdue him? That only works with humans, and maybe Ch'rago demons, they're slow. I wouldn't attempt that move on M'Vrashnik or a Polgara." pointing at the TV.

Buffy looked up over her shoulder at Spike, catching a look on his face she'd never seen there before. Contentment? Maybe he really did need family connections She felt his arms slide around her waist, holding her against him briefly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head before setting her aside and going to the chair. Flinging himself in it "So. Angel, up for a game? It's poker night at Willeys'."


	5. Cry Havoc part 5

TITLE- Cry "Havoc" part 5  
AUTHOR- Buffitude  
RATING- R  
DISCLAIMER- (SING-SONG VOICE) Someone doesn't own them.  
SUMMARY- A poker game, wackiness ensues  
Feedback please.

-

Oz, Dawn, Spike, and Maelyn entered the demon bar, Angel trailing behind them through the door. Willow had gone with Tara for some research at the Magic Box. Buffy heeded their suggestion to get some much needed sleep, leaving Spike at loose ends, not wanting to spend the rest of the night watching Maelyns' apparent hero worship of that poof, Angelus. On poker night too, he groused to himself. He decided to round up Oz and Dawn, make it a night out, between himself, the wolf-boy, and his Sire, they oughta be able to manage the girls and a hand or two of cards.

Spike seated the girls at a back booth. Oz slid in beside Dawn, while Angel stood alertly, looking the place over. Spike went to the bar, where Willey was busy drawing beer and blood from the taps. Willey raised an eyebrow, nodding toward the booth"Underage, can't serve them Spike."

"Just give me some of the good stuff, and set them up with Diet Coke. The lads and I are up for a game, already in back, is it" Raising his voice so the demons sitting at the bar could overhear"And I'd appreciate it if you made sure no one bothers the ladies. The Slayer might take it amiss if her sis came home worse for the wear." ,glaring at them, throwing a fifty on the counter. It quickly disappeared into Willeys' apron, with another nod at Spike. Angel leaned into Spike and voiced his concern in a low tone"You think it's a good idea to leave them here alone? This Is a demon bar, Spike."

"Bloody hell, alright then, ...",looking toward the booth to see the girls being approached by a young female Polgara. She was flanked by a huge, forbidding male, who posted himself next to the booth as she slid in next to Maelyn. "I think our problem is solved.". he smiled calculatedly.

Oz eyed the huge, forbidding male hovering over the petite girl demon, wondering if he should move or if it would provoke it into some destructive action. He was relieved when Spike and Angel returned , approaching the table with the girls' drinks. The girls were busy getting aquainted with the demoness who appeared to be near their age, not noticing Ozs' intrepidation. Angel and Spike placed the drinks on the table, the male Polgara impassively staring at them.

"So look, me an' the lads here, were planning on headin' to the back, play a hand or two, but aren't sure about leavin' the ladies..." , Spike casually began" since your..., raising an brow toward the demoness.

"Wife."

"Yeah, wife is visiting with the girls, could you watch for their welfare, so to speak." the blond vampire inquired of the Polgara.

"Sure."

As the three entered the back room, Oz shook his head"Not much with the word count, was he."

Angel and Spike turned, staring unbelieving, at the person Willow had once called "Taciturn Man".

-

Maelyn and Dawn were learning that appearances are sometimes deceiving. The female Polgara was actually very personable. Her name, they found out, was Chr'ok, and the big pulooka standing at attention by their booth was her husband.

"So, how long have you been married", Dawn asked curiously, looking over the imposing male Polgara.

"I was betrothed as a second pupa, and when I reached my first molt we were married. I have been joined for two years, now." Chr'ok explained to her two peers who listened wide-eyed to her cultural lecture.

"And you? How long have you been married", Chr'ok brightly asked. Dawn and Maelyn looked at her and frowned in confusion. "Uhm, we aren't married." Dawn replied confused. The little female tribbled in distress, obviously very upset at this information. "But...but you are here! With males! Unchaperoned, UNmarried" her voice rising in distress.

"Are the males not your mates"

Dawn nervously wet her lips"Well, Spike and Maelyn are, uh...mated." , glancing at Maelyn who nodded. "But Oz and I.." she was interupted by Chr'ok. The news that Maelyn and Spike were mated but uunmarried suffused the female Polgara with righteous anger for the poor vampiress. And that werewolf...he was a dog! She would put this to rights. It was shameful, their honor besmirched with none to defend it. "We'll just see" , she fumed.

Chr'ok scree'd at her mate who came forward, bending to her to hear. There was a quick chittering conversation and he stood,looking at Dawn and Maelyn sternly.

Maelyn, maybe you should call Spike, Dawn suggested, uneasily. She was scared now, knowing that somehow this was spiraling out of control. Before Maelyn could call out, the male Polgara triggered his arm swords, crossing them in a ritualistic movement before his chest reciting"My honor is yours. For the Fatherless, for the slighted. No longer alone, defended."

Chr'ok smiled in satisfaction. Now to make the dishonorable mates of her new friends do what was right.

-

Spike had a Royal Flush, all hearts. This was shaping up nicely, he thought as he took a drink from his glass. The bourbon swirled lazily in the glass as he tipped it to his lips. He looked over the glass at Angel, who was giving nothing away. Then at the other two vampires both of whom had dissatisfied looks on their faces. Well, didn't really matter, he was taking the kitty this time, literally. He allowed himself a smirk,thinking of how Oz was going to come up with the two calicos he was down already. The Ch'rago demon, now it was a problem. It started high with a Siamese,losing would put it in a temper. He'd handle it. It had been awhile since he'd won and was enjoying it.

Suddenly, Spike was yanked from his chair from behind, his cards scattered. He kicked the table during his struggle spilling drinks, knocking over chairs. Angel sprang toward the struggling pair in full game face, while Oz picked up a chair slamming it into another assailant.

SHHH-CLICK. A swordlike appendage appeared in front of Spikes' face.

"Bloody fucking HELL! Not NOW! I'm winning"

-

"You have no Honor,vampire"

"Yeah,and your point", Spikes' brassed rejoinder. He was extremely annoyed over being trussed like some sacrificial offering. He was worried about the girls, he couldn't get Maelyn to answer his link, which meant that she could be unconscious.

Angel silently watched the activity in the demon lair beyond the rooms' entrance from his place chained to a wall. They were preparing for something, what, one could only guess. Why did I listen to Spike"I told you it wasn't a good idea."

"Yeah, you think, Peaches? Thanks for the reminder. What do you think they want"

Ozs' unshakable voice was heard from the corner where he was tied hand and foot to a chair"I don't know about anyone else, but I really didn't miss this much."

The male Polgara stood sentry at the door. He uncrossed his arms and pointed at Oz and Spike, who was lying on the floor"I have sworn to recover the honor of your unwed mates. You will rectify your lapse by the end of this night."

Incredulous, Angel began laughing. He stopped,looked at Spike, over to Oz , and began again. Eliciting a snarl from Spike and a look of sudden understanding from Oz. Angel laughed until he weakly hung from the chains that bound him.

"What's so goddamned funny, you wanker, wanna let me in on it"

"Spike" Angel choked out around the laughter that was threatening to spill out again"We've been invited to a shotgun wedding"

MAELYN, Spike roared in anger, I can't take you girls anywhere!

-

"Who speakes for the dishonorable", the sonorous voice of the Elder quieried, as his eyes looked around the chamber where the three men were captive.

"Sod off,'' Spike spat, as he struggled against his bonds. "No one speaks for me" The guard stepped forward, drew back his leg and punted Spike in the chest, sending him across the room into the adjacent wall where he lay curled in pain.

"Dishonorable maggot, you may not speak to the Elder."

"UUhm, excuse me. I'm not dishonorable" Angel ventured"I'll speak for them." He looked at Spike lying quietly on his side, at his feet. Who would have thought demons would know about the modern marvel of grey duct tape. "Quit struggling." Angel hissed when Spike renewed his wriggling"You'll just make it harder to remove."

The Elder silently witnessed the exchange, raised his eyes to Angels' and nodded formally"Release him."

-

"I'm still not down with the whole drinking of blood thing." Oz dispassionately stated" I mean, that's more your forte.",looking over at Angel and Spike.

"Oh come on.", Spike rolled his eyes at him"It's not like you haven't tasted it before..." he trailed off at the stoney silence and steely eyes Oz presented at his scoffing. Disbelieving, Spike waved his hands in the air"What kind of werewolf are you", he demanded disgustedly.

"The same as the kind of vampire you are.", he responded, not letting the insult slide.

Getting his back up, Spike sarcastically drawled"And what kind would that be, mate." He smirked thinking he'd gotten the better of the werewolf.

""Neutered." Thrust home with accuracy of which the Slayer would have been proud .

Stung by that rejoinder, Spike hotly flung "That will be unfortunate for your bride on the night of the nuptuals."  
Then realising just who the aforesaid bride was, backpedaled with a growled"You even think of it, I'll rip your head off" Mental images of Dawn in the embrace of this man almost twice her age filling him with protective rage.

"Guys" Angel calmly eyed the two "grooms''"It's not binding, we just need to go along so we can leave. You want to get the girls home safely? Are we clear"

"Crystal" , Oz replied disquieted by the scary mental place Spike had sent him to with his remarks.

-

The cavernous communal room of the Polgara nest was lit by candelabras. The ceremonial alter in the center of the room, had been covered in a scarlett silk embroidered with ritualistic symbols, in gold and black. Demons had gathered in groups around the edges of the room, the chitter of conversation a murmur that rose and fell like an ocean tide.

Angel stood silently, ill at ease, hoping to get everyone out in one piece, not the pieces that usually accompany mishaps with Polgaras.

"So, a friend of the grooms" a familiar voice spoke over his shoulder. Angel turned in surprise"Skip", in disbelief"What are you doing here"

"News travels fast. This is a big event in the underworld. It's not every century a Honor Wedding is performed, let alone a double ceremony. I came as soon as I got off work. Have I missed anything"

"Nooo..", Angel drawled, troubled by Skips' rendering of the coming ceremony.

"So, friend of the grooms" Skip inquired.

"Family." , Angel shortly stated.

"Oh." Skip clapped him on the shoulder"Sorry, I know we can't choose our family."

"Actually Skip, Vampire. We do choose our family.", Angel irritatedly replied to his friends' unwelcome sympathy. Skip apologetically grimaced and moved away into the crowd.

Two small figures were drawn forward to the center of the communal chamber to stand before the alter, where the Elder stood ready to officiate. Angel could see their trembling from where he stood and felt pity for the girls , wishing with all his heart he'd never listened to his idiot Childe of the Line.

They were clad in white burlap that had been patterned with spatters of blood, their heads covered with blood red veils. He hoped they'd just get through it without incident so they could go home. Spike and Oz were unceremoniously marched down to the alter, periodically prodded by Chr'oks' mate, much to Spikes' annoyance. Angel silently hoped the Polgara would spear him.

-

The words had all been spoken, that which remained was the ritual blood letting and Chalice ceremony. The Elder approached Dawn and Oz, an accolyte held the ceremonial knife on a white towel, the Elder held the gem encrusted Chalice. Dawns' eyes widened at the sight of the knife panic blazing in her chest. She wavered, Oz took her arm to steady her.

"I can't ! I can't", she burst out hysterically, turning into Ozs' startled embrace to hide her eyes from the sight of the knife. The witness's to the ceremony all "Oooooh'ed" in consternation. Spike held up his hand"Wait! She is not Unwilling.", guessing at what the demon horde was thinking, trying to avert disaster.

Images of the night Buffy lept from the tower flooded his mind. Looking at Dawn he knew she saw them too. He spoke softly to her"Bit, it's not like Doc. It's not the tower. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again.", he continued unsteadily"It's not much, and only for show. Pet, look at me."

Dawn raised tear-streaked cheeks to look at him trustfully, causing his chest to ache. God, how can she trust me like that, look where I've gotten her, he wearily castigated himself.

"Ok", she replied in a small wavering voice. Oz held her so she didn't have to see when the knife made it's cut. Her arm was swiftly bandaged and she stood holding it to her chest, watching as Oz swallowed her blood from the Chalice. Then it was Maelyns' turn. She carelessly thrust her arm toward the acolyte who swiftly let her blood into the Chalice. Instead of a bandage, Spike gently, almost reverently, brought it to his lips, kissing the wound until the blood no longer seeped out, eyes never leaving her face. The gesture seemed to please the romantics in the crowd because a chorus of "Ahhhhhhhh's" were raised by the witness's.

Angel rolled his eyes. Ever the one for theatrics, was William, he sighed.

Spike raised the Chalice to his lips and they were pronounced Blood-bonded, mates and wives.

-

Smack!  
A small fist punched Spike in the nose, breaking it, and throwing him half up the stairs.

"ludy hewl, Sla'er" , Spikes' muffled voice came through his hand, the one covering the blood gushing from his nose. Maelyn silently moved to help him to a sitting position, covering him protectively with one arm across his chest. Eyes quietly deploring Buffys' actions.

"BUFFY" , Dawn shrieked"Oh My God" She could not believe her. What the hell was her problem! They got out ok, no one got hurt. That is until we got HOME, she thought , looking at Spikes' bleeding face.

"I can't even begin, Spike" she ground through clenched teeth.

"Why doan ya save sum fer woof-boy.", his voice muffled"He's yer bludy in-law now." , Spike unwisely reminded her. At the reminder, she whirled on Oz, pointing her finger at him like a weapon. "If you think this is going anywhere, you have taken leave of your senses"

Oz held up his hands submissively"It's in name only..." he began, trying to mollify Buffys' offended sensibilities.

"Damn right.'' , Spike growled at him, promising severe bodily damage with his eyes, chip or no. He slowly smiled at the realization it wouldn't prevent an assault on a werewolf, put on his gameface to bare fangs at Oz.

"SHUT up, Buffy told him, her attention now on Angel. "And YOU! You're old enough to know better" Angel had tried to wisely make himself smaller and less noticible because he knew he had no excuse, or defense. He knew it wasn't smart to take them to the demon bar but had went along with it anyway. If he screwed up with Dawn like this, how would his judgement be with Connor"Buffy, I..."

"No, I changed my mind. You shut up too" She commanded with a glare. Looking around at the chagrined group of men, she sighed tiredly . "Angel, you had a phone call. Cordelia said that Connor was sick, and you are needed at home. Who's Connor"

"What's wrong with him? Did she say? Is he ok", he bolted for the phone, the abject terror in his voice catching the attention of everyone present. Buffy started after him in concern"Angel", uncertainty in her voice"Who's Connor"

"My son.", he stood frozen, back to the room. Then continued to the phone.

At once Spike knew he didn't mean a Childe of the Line, he'd said "son", not childe, and his mouth fell open in shock.

Pandemonium reigned before Willow put her fingers to her mouth and shrilled out a whistle from her place at the top of the stairs. Everyone stopped and looked at her. "I think we all need to sit down, have some tea, and discuss this" she recommended"There's been too many suprises, and we can't afford suprises when we need to have the Triads operational. Time to talk, people." She took charge and soon had everyone seated around the dining room table, except for Buffy, who remained in the same spot where she had heard Angels' words about his son. Her face blank.

"Buffy, come sit. We need you."

She sat slowly in a chair feeling disjointed, jarred apart, as she listened to Angel tell about the Prophesy, and the culmination of the events that led to the 'birth' of his son. He spoke quietly, gently, not asking for, nor evidently needing, understanding. He loved his son.

-

So, let me get this straight, Oz, you drank Dawns' blood" , Willow frowned, going to that place inside where she sorted through the massive amounts of information she had stored. She hadn't been the Brainy one for nothing.

"Well, yeah. But not much. I was opposed to it.", he laconically related"We thought it best to go along.", he leveled a challenging look at Buffy"So we could bring the girls home safe. Besides Angel said it's not binding."

At that, Willow looked at Angel in consternation"Angel, blood rituals are always binding. You know that.", she rebuked him, making veiled reference to the Acathla debaucle. Angel refused to meet their eyes"Yeah, I did.", he admitted. "But it's not like it matters. Dawn isn't living in a demon commuity. And vampires have their own...we have our own laws."

"Well, at least we know that Oz and Dawns' pairing in the Triad has to do with Blood Magic and not ...the other one.", Willow stumbled over her words.

"That leaves one more, Red.", Spike intuitively guessed who the remaining person was but fell silent waiting for her to draw the conclusion for herself. Understanding filled her eyes as she met his. She closed her eyes, shuttering her pain away from his too knowing gaze.

"We've got a winner.", Spike laid a finger to the side of his nose tapping and pointing to Willow. Comperhension rolled over those seated at the table.

-

Buffy sat on the back deck, head in hands, a habitual pose these days. Her mind was whirling around the idea that was Connor. How could he not tell her? How could he have...with Darla, for godssake. ...and with the vampires and the babies, an occurance that was not mix-y. After she had spilled her hearts' secrets about Spike, he'd just sat there, never letting on. oh god.

The smell of smoke and tobacco, a whisper of leather as he seated himself next to the fragile blond woman" I can hear you thinking a mile away, luv." , he offered calmly, carefully avoiding actually saying anything about Angel and his little secret.

He was here, as always when she needed him. How did that happen? This need? Sometimes it seemed so wrong for a Slayer such as herself to need anyone. It hurt. It would be so much easier if she could have stayed numb. She had tried but he hadn't let her. He had pried her heart open with the strength of his love as surely as if he'd used his vampire strength and his hands. Her hand slowly crept toward his, at her touch he engulfed it in his own. They remained that way in silence while the moon made it's path across the night sky.

Angel looked through the window at the two on the steps, Spikes' taunting sing-song "Someone didn't tell her.", ringing in his ears. He'd like to strangle him. How did he manage to come through the nights' mischief unscathed? And me in the dog house.

"You really should have told her.", Willows' voice reached him across the room from her position in the doorway.

"I know.", Angel agonizingly admitted"I wanted to. I was going to. But the timing was always off.'' , thinking of the whirlwind events of the last few days. Did time just move faster on the Hellmouth?

"Angel, timing in Sunneydale is the moment it occurs to you, you may not live long enough to say anything, otherwise." , a soft glance toward him" You should remember how it is for us here." She was much too young for the burden of that truth, Angel knew, but it was the way of it. She was right.

"Buffy was right. I have been away along time. In L.A., there's danger. Life or death danger. But it's not the Hellmouth and it doesn't suck the life from you the way this place does.", he looked over his shoulder at the auburn haired witch"Is she happy? With him"

"As happy as any girl in love with an undead bloodsucking monster." Willow impishly chirped in a cheery voice.

"Good." Angel silently made his passage through the doorway, halting at a tenative touch on his arm. He stood still, head down, waiting for Willow to speak.  
"She'd want to tell you goodbye."  
At those words, Angel raised his eyes to hers, the entire weight of his years of existance behind them. Her eyes welled with unshed tears, sorrow for this being who had known more pain than any had a right. A small smile played on his lips as he looked to the window, a memory of a blond head resting on the leather clad shoulder of the one she now turned to for solace.

"She already has." Then he was gone.


	6. Cry Havoc part six

TITLE- Cry "Havoc" part 6

AUTHOR- Buffitude

RATING- R

DISCLAIMER- they belong to the Buffyverse of Joss Whedon

SUMMARY- let slip the dogs of War

Warren sat in the leather computer chair staring at the screen before him, chin resting on steepled fingers. Behind him Jonathan and Andrew fenced with "light sabers". One of the newer experiments that work perfectly...unfortunately. At the sizzling crash, Warren looked over his shoulder in irritation. "You girls keep it up and we'll be out of furniture."

Sheepishly, the two boys triggered the sabers off. "Sorry, but , you know...these are just so kewl.'' Jonathon gestured with the offending laser weapon.

"Yeah" echoed Andrew, looking around the basement room for some other entertainment,

"Yes, yes." Warren impatiently waved them aside""I've been thinking." Jonathon glanced nervously at Andrew, then eyed Warren narrowly. Great. Now what? Warren could really be creepy, almost like his eyes were empty. Sometimes he seems more robot than any of those stupid android girlfriends he had built.

Warren continued"I've been thinking...What if someone could access and control the Force"

Jonathon thought about it" You mean like a Jedi"

"No, retard. They can already access it. I mean more like a Sith Lord. What if Darth Maul controlled the Force, or Vader? All of it, total private control." Warren looked at Jonathon with his cold, snake eyes.

Andrew slyly smiled"Total domination."

"Exactly." Warren swung around in his chair, attention once again on the computer screen.

"Warren, what..." Jonathon began, frowning in consternation"What does that have to do with our Plan: Take Over Sunnydale"

Warren suddenly swung the chair around so he could stare at his two compatriots. Empty cold eyes, burning into them, a smirk or superiority curling his lips"You need to start thinking out of the box, Jonathon."

'Huh?" both Andrew and Jonathan wondered aloud.

"Magic. It's like the Force, only real. Have you ever thought ...have you ever wondered, Jonathon, where the magic comes from" Warren asked rhetorically. "It shouldn't exist, but it does. If one is to believe the laws of Thermodynamics, you can't get something from nothing. Which means there has got to be a Source. I mean to find that Source and control it.", he looked at his cronies darkly"I'll...We'll completely rule this whole continuum."

Tara sat at the table, quietly reading a mystical tome that Anya had just purchased off E-bay. Anya was profusely thanking a customer for "spending your money at the Magic Box.". Tara allowed a tiny smile to pass her lips as she watched Anyas' aura glow, the ex-demoness always did that when making a profit.

"What do you know about the Sidhe, Anya" Tara carefully asked, unsure if asking Anya would get her some weird answer about sex.

"Sidhe", Anya replied, confusion on her face"Oh, you mean fairies, elves that sort.", she waved dismissively"Legend. Purely fictitious."

"All legend has roots in truth.", Tara knowingly replied, eyes steady on Anyas' face. Uncertainly, almost as if ashamed to speak of it, Anya leaned across the counter"Well, there was talk. Stories really. You can't live in demon realms without hearing things." she confided in low tones.

"What things" Tara nonchalantly asked, so as not to make Anya suspicious of her interest.

"The Legend of the Fallen." Anya stealthily looked around the shop, making sure they were alone. "A legend lost so far back, some say it was before the Beginning." Anya closed her eyes and recited"Those who lost the War, Fell. Condemned to wander forever, never dying. Until they come to the Shining Shore.", opening her eyes she curiously looked at Tara"But it's not real. Why do you ask"

"Oh, just doing some research" Tara evasively answered, lowering her head so that her hair shielded her transparent face from Anyas' shrewd gaze.

Maelyn lay on her back holding her left hand in the air above her head, inspecting the ring that graced it. It shone brightly, it's burnished silver casting a glow all its' own in the flickering candlelight.

"It feels weird. Being married, I mean. Doesn't it to you" Dawn ventured. She lay on her stomach on the scarlet bed cover, waving her legs in the air behind her. She picked at a loose thread in the bed spread.

"I guess. I don't know...not so much. Spike and I are already tied...in here" she pointed to her head"The Blood Bond just makes it more, I guess."

Dawn rolled to her side resting her head on her arm looking at her friend, worry creasing her forehead"I feel this...weird, I don't know", she broke off in frustration"I feel stretched, like a rubber band when Oz isn't around. Is that normal"

Maelyn lowered her hand and pushed herself up to a sitting position, looking down at Dawn"It probably is. It may be the Blood Bond or the Triad, but I think it's normal."

Dawn felt a little better"I'm so glad you're here Maelyn. Before, everyone was so busy, they all ignored me. I was alone, but you're my best friend, and I can talk to you about stuff they wouldn't understand."

Maelyn laid her hand on Dawns'"I know."

Willow had said that Blood Rituals were binding, and so they were. Dawn had found herself drawn to Oz, needing to be near him. Embarrassingly, she kept brushing up against him, finding ways to sit next to him until it got so uncomfortable for him he finally rented an apartment across town so he wouldn't be in such close proximity to her. That seemed to make it worse. They found ways to be close to each other but not touch. At Scooby meetings they'd sit one seat away, studiously ignoring each other, but feeling that static energy charging the air between them. This seemed to infuriate Spike, making him even grouchier with Oz. Sheez, what does he want? It's not like Oz would ever make a move on me, she thought shamefacedly. Oz had gently but firmly made it abundantly clear that it wasn't a "real" marriage. Regardless, the Blood Bond and the Triad link had made it necessary for them to be near each other, the other way lay physical discomfort and real psychic pain.

No one knew. Except for Spike and Maelyn. Maelyn didn't understand what the big deal was about the not "consummating", Spike on the other hand made it clear he'd do severe bodily injury if Oz even looked at her with interest. She sighed. She'd never get to date with the Big Bad hovering over her like some malevolent guardian angel.

Willow was standing in the kitchen when the first wave of dizziness overtook her. She grasped the edge of the counter, knuckles turning white. She looked down at her feet, not recognizing them; a trickle of blood escaped her right nostril. She desperately tried to get her bearings, then the second wave hit. Her whole body began to vibrate as if an electric current was being conducted through her entire being. It was a magical attack of a kind she had never felt before. It was as if her very connection with the magic was under assault. The more she tried to fight and stay connected to it, the stronger the pain became. She realized dimly that she had to disconnect from it somehow. She threw up a wall and the backlash knocked her across the room into the backdoor. She lay bleeding freely among shattered glass, still as death.

The ripple was felt far and wide by those attune to the magic, many of the lesser users opened to it at the time of the second wave were struck dead from the magic resonance backlash. Others felt the reverberation as surely as one would an earthquake.

Tara was at the Magic Box when she felt the Quake. The blood drained from her face, leaving her pale and shaken. She slowly stood placing her hands on the table splay fingered, book falling to the floor unnoticed by her. The sound of the heavy tome falling drew Anya and Xanders' attention. The sight of the young witch swaying and breathing heavy panting breaths alarmed them.

"What. What is it?", Anya cried, concern written on her face. Tara didn't respond. She stood as if carved of marble. When the second wave hit her, her eyes rolled up and she fell back over her chair to the floor. She lay still as death.

"TARA", Xander shouted as he raced around the sales counter to her unconscious body on the Magic Box floor.

Maelyn gasped as she felt the first wave, it was a disturbance she felt to her soul. It was as if something had taken the essence of her very being and pulled. She clutched her chest as if trying to keep her essence from being wrested from her. Something was very wrong with the world.

At the small distressed noise, Dawn looked up, seeing Maelyns' face, a rictus of agony, her hands clutching her at her chest.

"SPIKE!" Dawn shrieked in terror as she sat up, reaching for Maelyn. Spike appeared before she could touch her.

"What happened Dawn!" grappling with the fledglings' flailing arms"DAWN"

"I don't know, she just made a noise and fell over! I don't know I DON"T KNOW! Maelyn!" she cried helplessly in fear.

"Dawn. Look at me. I need you to be calm." he fought for control over Maelyns' jerking body"I can't take care of you now, she needs me, pet." jerking at the effort he was expending trying to keep Maelyn from thrashing her way off the bed to the floor.

_Maelyn. _, no response but twitching of her head, her body arching until she went limp. She was still there; he could feel her light in his mind. He swiftly gathered the body of his childe into his arms, and moving to the rabbit hole, leapt straight from the floor of his chamber to the upper level, his fear augmenting his strength. He didn't wait for Dawn. Red. Red could do something to fix this. He'd try the Summers' house first.

Warren, Jonathon, and Andrew stood in the protection of the pentagrams' circle, candles at the pentagrams' points. Jonathon hadn't been certain that the incantation would work, it had never been done. But the first wave of power released blew out from the circle in a shock wave that would have killed the Three immediately had they not been protected. Power rolling out in concentric waves, one after another. When the waves had settled to a steady flow of power, contained by the pentagram, Warren stepped out of the protected circle.

"Houston, we have lift off." Warren looked at the two still clinging to their places in the circle" You two losers want to quit holdin' hands and get over here"

Andrew snatched his hand away from Jonathon, who rubbed his newly released hand on his shirt self-consciously. Warren always made him feel like some mental deficient, he fumed resentfully.

"It worked!", Andrew gleefully gloated, rubbing his hands together in a bad impersonation of an evil genius.

"Yes, it did. It was supposed to." Warren answered snappishly"Now. How to harness it and direct it, so our will can be done..." he smiled.

Andrews' eyes sparkled at the thought of World Domination. Jonathan shivered.

Spike approached the Summers' house, rushing to the back door with Maelyns' unconscious form cradled to his chest. The glass from the window was laying on the deck in a pattern that indicated it had been broken from the inside.

Blood. He could smell it. He pushed the door open and was met with resistance from the other side. Looking through the fractured window, he saw an outstretched pale arm and blood pooling alongside of it. He shoved harder feeling the obstruction move, and thrust their bodies through into the kitchen.

DAMN! The witch lay on the floor in a heap of blood and glass. Moving around Willow, Spike lay Maelyn on the tile of the floor, and moved to Willows' side. Her heartbeat was weak; he glanced to the kitchen counter looking for the tea towel to tie up the worst of the slashes from the door glass.

Bloody Hell! He ripped off his T-shirt, tearing it in strips, carefully picking pieces of glass from oozing wounds. He worked swiftly, binding the deepest cuts before lifting her and taking her through the kitchen to the stairs. He took them two at a time rushing into Joyce's' bedroom. Angling her legs through the doorway, he lay her on the bed and rushed back the way he came. Soon he returned with his mate and placed her on the other side of the bed. He heard the door downstairs and Dawns' shouted"SPIKE! Where are you"

Buffy was finished with her patrol. Three vamps, three measly vampires were all she had to show for the torn sleeve of her favorite shirt. Well, she corrected herself, she didn't really have the vampires to show either, their dust had blown to who-knows-where.

The front door was standing wide open, Uh-oh...spider senses are tingling. Cautiously closing the door behind her, she stood still listening for an intruder. She heard the soft sounds of crying coming from up stairs. Dawn!

"Dawn" she called, starting up the stairway"Dawnie"

Buffy reached her moms' room and stood in the doorway. On the bed lay Willow and Maelyn. Willow had been carefully tended by Spike, she surmised, recognizing the bandage material swathing her arms. Maelyn looked unharmed but Buffy knew through their link, there was something wrong with her.

Her regard fell on her sister, who was prostrate across Maelyns' chest, crying out her fear and grief.

"Dawn."

Dawn started violently, looking wildly at Buffy. "Buffy! Look at her! She's like Mom; she looks like Mom...on the table in the hospital! Buffy, do something...please, please, do something!" she sobbed.

Realizing she wasn't going to get any sense from Dawn in this condition, she moved to the bed, drawing Dawn into her embrace"Dawn, she's not gone, she's still here, I can feel her. It's not like Mom. She's not ...like Mom." Buffy tried to assure her but felt the heaviness of memory pressing her. Dawn on the morgue floor, looking, reaching for the gurney where the body lay.

Shaking it off, she squeezed her sister briefly, setting her away from her" Where's Spike", she asked.

"Downstairs."

Shakily, Buffy turned to look at Willow, before leaving the room in search of Spike. She found him in the kitchen, standing lost among shattered glass and blood. A towel with bloody smears and a trash can held in hand. He looked at her blankly. She'd seen that look before when his link with Maelyn had been broken.

"Spike.", she noted his struggle to attend her voice"SPIKE! Hey" She moved to take the bloody towel and can from his hands, setting them on the floor, gently pushed him out of the kitchen to the couch.

"How bad, Spike? Is she...gone"

"No. But I can't...", he looked steadily at her"I can still feel her light, here." he touched his temple with his finger.

"What happened to her and Will"

The phone rang and she moved to answer it, loathing to turn loose of his hand. He heard"Uh-huh, Willow and Maelyn too. She has? Good, they should soon too. Bring her here, we need to stay together, call Oz."

Tara sat on the couch in the Summers' front room, drinking hot tea. Xander had carefully tucked a blanket around her shaking limbs. She felt disembodied. No, she felt firmly IN body, the Sight no longer available to her. The Sight that had been so much a part of herself was gone. It may be temporary; she tried to assure herself. It felt strange to look at everyone and not "see" him or her. This must be what it means to be "normal". It hurt.

Anya sat next to her, watching Buffy pace in agitation, until Spike reached a hand out taking her by the arm, drawing her to him. She seemed to calm, shivering under his touch until she was still. Oz had disappeared upstairs to be with the other members of his Triad. For once, Spike never protested his right to be with Dawn.

"Tara, what happened" Buffy finally was able to ask"What did this to you, you and the others."

She looked up and Buffy recoiled from the pure rage in her face. Tara never showed violent emotion and for some reason her display disturbed the Slayer more than any of Spikes' ever had.

"Someone has raped the Mother. They are stealing Power."

Anya gasped. This must be bad to make an exdemoness suck wind like that, the Slayer worriedly thought.

"That can't happen Tara. It can't." Anya frantically denied" No one can take from the Mother what She is Unwilling to give. It can't be true." she almost pleaded like a child for reassurance from the witch.

Xander frowned at Anyas' wig-out"Whose Mother are we talking here"

"Xander, it is our Mother. Earth. Where we are all stuck together on this minute speck in the Universe." Anya supplied anxious that Tara continue"Who would be able to do this"

"I don't know, but it is evil. And wrong. It will destroy the Earth, and us with it."

At the last part of Taras' revelation, Buffy bonelessly slid down to sit on the stairs. I'm going to have to do it again. Save the World. God, how many times will I have to do this? Can't it just for once be NOT about the Slayer? Huh? YOU, God, Are you listening? A big rock, a comet...anything but another Apocalypse! She groaned out loud, drawing Spikes' attention. He touched her head in a caress, something he hadn't done in front of her friends before, and it was comforting and awkward at the same time.

"Tara, for the magic impaired, please." Xander prompted her to explain.

"Xander, the Earth is an entity, it has a spirit, the Mother. It's this Spirit that connects life with magic. It is the Source from which we all draw. Whoever did this has effectively tapped directly into the Source. They are draining Her. If She is depleted, Earth dies. We live here, so that means us too."

"So all witches, magic users, were knocked into a coma when this Source was breached" Buffy guessed. Tara nodded.

Spikes' face darkened"Why did it hurt Maelyn, she's not a witch" Tara chewed her bottom lip, wondering how to reveal to everyone what she thought of Maelyns' origins.

"This is about that thing you asked, isn't it." Anya guessed, looking insightfully at the nervous girl under the blanket. Nodding Tara looked at Spike, who was impatiently waiting for an explanation.

"I...I th-think she's Sidhe." stuttering, Tara revealed her agitation.

"Ok, I'll bite. She's She-Who" Xander confusedly questioned.

Rolling her eyes, Anya replied in an exasperated voice"Oh for Heavens' sake. Let her finish."

"Not She, Sidhe." Tara corrected him.

"Sounds the same to me." Xander frowned.

"Xander...Shut UP" the rooms' occupants yelled. He subsided with a cowed, injured look.

"Maelyns' aura was what tipped me off. It's unusual...No, who am I kidding! It is impossible", Tara suddenly jumped off the couch, blanket sliding to pool at her feet"It sparkles, like fireworks, silver Tinkerbell sparklies! It made me think of something my Grandmother told me about the Sidhe."

At their blank looks, she sighed and finally said"Fairies."

"WHAT" Xander and Buffy gawked at her.

"Have you lost your bloody mind, witch" Spike spat in outrage.

"I'm not talking about Walt Disney, you guys. I'm talking the Gentry, the Sidhe. They don't like being called 'fairies', it's insulting according to my Grandmother." Tara quickly justified her position; "Maelyn must be of the Old Blood. Probably a mixed bloodline for generations with humans. I doubt that anyone could ever tell."

"She was affected by the Quake because they are connected to the Mother, according to the legends.", she glanced at her friends, seeing disbelief"Look, even the demon realms know about them. Ask Anya!", she turned to the ex-demoness on the sofa.

"Our Legend is about the Fallen.", Anya admitted"But it is a child's tale, I never believed it." She stopped herself"Until now."

Spikes' face was frozen with emotion, fear. Buffy actually saw fear in his eyes. "Spike, what is it?" she looked up at him from her position on the stairs.

"Angel...", he whispered.

Buffy blinked. Huh"What does Angel have to do with this? Spike, what are you talking abo..." but he was gone. She heard the back door bang shut. Bewildered she looked to Tara and caught a dawning look of sympathetic understanding on her face.

"What" she whispered, fear clutching her heart.

"Buffy. The Legend of the Fallen." she recited the stanza told to her by Anya"Those that lost the War, Fell. Condemned to wander forever, never dying. Until they come to the Shining Shore." she looked Buffy in the eyes, connecting the dots with her next words.

"The War in Heaven. Fallen Angels. The Sidhe."

Oz sat on a chair next to Willow, watching her still face, pale and beautiful. She wasn't the shy, awkward girl he'd loved, but a woman grown into her promise. He touched her hair, raising blue sparks.

Dawn looked up at the crackling noise, watching Oz tenderly removing an auburn strand from Willows' cheek. He loves her, she realized, Oh Oz. Feeling a rising grief, Dawn put her forehead down on her friends' hand, which was clasped in her own.

Dawn? Maelyn heard her grief, felt it in her, moving through her mind sharply, cutting"Dawn, what is it"

"Maelyn! Don't leave me! Stay, stay awake. Do you need anything? I'll get you a drink." and she rushed out the door. Maelyn weakly followed her progress out of the room and rested her eyes on Oz and the still figure of Willow.

"Have you bonded with your Triad, yet" She asked"It's not good for any of you to withhold from the bond."

Oz silently regarded her before speaking"Dawn is too young. Willow, gay. Just how do you think this conversation will change any of that"

He is angry, that's good. "Oz, Dawn has Blood Bond with you. Please stop hurting her, it's not her fault." Maelyn whispered hoarsely"You have to touch. That part is certain, but it doesn't have to be...Uhmm, consummated. Hugging's of the good, hands..touchable."

Oz sat back in his chair, not wanting to give credence to Maelyns' statements but knowing she had a point. It was painful not touching her, and it wasn't fair to hurt her.

Nodding his acceptance"Alright. But you keep your Sire off my neck." smiling, letting her know the double entendre was purposeful. Maelyn smiled, closing her eyes, and slipped into a healing sleep.

Buffy went after Spike. He'd left and she knew he'd be looking for trouble. His way to get rid of strong emotion, fighting. No. OUR way, she admitted, thinking of all the times she had punched him as a catharsis for her problems. How he'd let her, because he understood and it was the same for him, a part of their mutual darkness.

She did what she swore she'd never do, she used the link.

_Spike, where are you._

_Not now, Buffy., _she caught a glimpse of a body flying back toward a mausoleum. Ah, I know where that is. She ran for the cemetery, as she neared the older part of the graveyard she heard the sound of fighting.

Music to my ears_. The Children of the Night, what sweet music they make._ she giggled at the ridiculous remark, and heard him shout furiously, _I can't believe you'd quote that ponce, Dracula, Slayer. Pick a better one!_

She eagerly flung herself into the fray, in a whirlwind of fists, feet, and stakes. They fought back to back, their movements in perfect synch. Damn we're good, she thought as she bent over to brush dust off her jeans. And felt a foot plant itself on her rear and shove, hard, sending her flying.

She rolled to her feet, turning to swing at Spike who was right behind her. He caught her fist in his larger hand, held it immobile, drawing his face down to hers"MY fight, Slayer. I told you, NOT now." he rumbled dangerously.

"What the hell is your problem"

He threw her hand roughly away from him, turning; he stalked away from her. By following him, she knew she was pushing it. But he had to get this out or it would be bad for everyone. He was already entering the crypt when she caught up to him. He saw her, but slammed the door in her face.

"Ok, That's it! He's toast" she snarled under her breath, yanking the door open.

BOOM!

The door of the crypt flew open. Spike glowered at the small woman standing in the doorway, moonlight silhouetting her to perfection. His eyes traced her figure, lingering on her breasts, which were heaving in anger. God, but she's amazing when she's brassed, he admiringly noted. "Don't you ever knock"

Brushing off his sarcasm, she advanced on him"That's the last time you are slamming that door" she pointed emphatically with her finger"in my face!" she vowed. "Now, you are going to tell me why you kicked my ass..." no, that is wrong, she realized, correcting herself,"er..kicked me in the ass."

Hearing the word "ass" falling from her lips had him flashing back to cracking walls, falling through the floor, and the all night shagging they had done, during which he heard her say that and many other words. Words he suddenly had a desire to hear from her mouth again. She sensed the change in his demeanor. He wanted her. She could deal with this, unlike the strange behavior he'd been exhibiting moments ago.

With a sound of need, he came toward her. She waited confidently for him. Thinking he saw surrender, he reached for her only to receive a sharp jab to the nose, throwing him into the back of the sofa. Clutching at the sofa, torn between anger and despair, he slid down until he sat knees up, pressing his face into them, curling his arms around his legs. Shaking. He was shaking!

Buffy had stood balanced on the balls of her feet, waiting for the explosion that never came. She watched Spike just fold in on himself and now his body was wracked by tremors. God. This isn't right.

"Spike"

When he didn't respond, she approached him uncertainly moving to slide down beside him, her back against the sofa. She tried to touch his arm, only to have Spike react as if he'd been electrocuted. In a flurry of slaps and cuffs to her head and body, he tried to crawl jerkily away from her touch. She followed his movement, continuing to grab his hands to still them. They silently fought until he lay still under her, allowing her touch, the palsied shaking gradually abating. He turned into her embrace, grasping her like she was his only refuge.

Buffy was at a loss, she'd never seen him like this and it frightened her. It reminded her of when Angel came back from his trip to hell, how he couldn't bear to be touched.

"Spike. What is it"

"It's like what they did to you." his voice shook as he spoke into her neck.

"What? What is" she curled her body protectively around his, stroking the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I saw, during our link, the three of us. Was it like where you were" his voice hushed. She knew what he meant then"It felt sort of like that, yeah."

"Then, if she's what the witch said, I did that to her." his voice coming to her gratingly."That's why my chip din't work, she's not completely..I knew there was something but I didn't stop. I wanted it.. I..." he closed his eyes tightly, as she interrupted him.

"Spike. You heard what we were told. This was a set up by the PTBs so they can have their 'precious' weapons. What choice did you have against a Compulsion? Quit with the wearing of the scratchy hair shirt."

Could it be that William the Bloody actually regretted something"Spike, is this regret"

He pushed away from her, frowning at the notion. "She's mine, now. How could I regret that"

She rolled her eyes"NO. I mean about hurting her, like ...they did me."

His eyes filled, and he quickly turned his head, surreptitiously wiping his eyes"Do you think she knows what she is? What I did, turning her" He started shivering.

She did the only thing she knew to do. She pulled his head to hers and kissed him. Sparks flew, dancing over them like demented fireflies Spike purred into her mouth, swiftly changing position until she was under him. She softly welcomed him by curling one leg around the back of his thigh and squirming closer. He devoured her mouth, pillaging every inch of it. God, he'd missed her. He felt this time the difference in her, smelled it on her. Her resistance was gone. He groaned as his face shifted. Buffy felt his fangs with her questing tongue, she stiffened. He froze.

He lifted his head to look at her"Something wrong, luv", male ego stung by her rejection.

"You've never done that before." seriously, desire in her eyes.

"What?" not understanding.

"Completely lost it. You always held back, I felt it." She explained, running a finger across his lips"So controlled." she whispered. Thrusting a finger against a sharp tipped incisor, drawing blood."

"Buffy.." he warned, his yellow eyes narrowing, nostrils flaring slightly at the scent of blood. She just smiled wickedly, drawing her finger to her mouth. That was it! He rose to his feet, pulling her up with him.

"What? What are you doing?" she felt bereft, didn't he want her?

"Bloody Hell, woman. I own a bed." he said huskily as he picked her up, strode over and dropped down the rabbit hole.


	7. Cry Havoc part 7

TITLE- Cry "Havoc"

AUTHOR- Buffitude

RATING- R

DISCLAIMER- Bloody hell, can't we dispense with this, of course I don't own them!

SUMMARY- Dawn gets a little help, plot development.

Willow awoke to someone snoring, loudly. It hurt to move her head but she couldn't see by just moving her eyes, so she rolled her head toward the noise. Oz was asleep in a chair next to the bed, snoring. She felt his hand loosely gripping hers.

"Oz", she whispered. He snored on, so she concentrated on squeezing his hand. He felt the tug on his hand and was instantly awake.

"Hey", he greeted her. His eyes ran a check on her face trying to assess how badly she was injured and saw pain"Willow, what can I do?" he gently smoothed her hair from her damp brow.

"Drink", she tried to wet her dry lips with a tongue that felt like sandpaper. She felt his lips on her forehead and closed her eyes. Then he was gone to get her a drink. Another hand touched her on the arm, she jerked, causing her to moan as the motion jarred her head.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." she heard Maelyn say. Willow inched her head slowly toward her voice, eyes questioning.

"I can speak in your mind so it's easier for you, if you like." Maelyn politely offered. Willow smiled her assent.

_Does this hurt you? _Maelyn wanted to know.

_No. Actually it's the only thing that isn't hurting me at the moment. , _Willow admitted wryly._What happened?_

_I...I'm not sure. I felt like someone tried to..rip me out? Of my body. Bloody hell, it hurt!_ Maelyn told her, unconsciously mimicking Spikes' word patterns. She slowly rubbed her hand back and forth across her ribs.

_It was an attack of some kind..A magical attack, of that much, I'm sure. _Willow informed her, suddenly wondering who else had been affected. _Maelyn, is everyone ok?_

_I think so. I feel Spike and Buffy through the link, Dawn was here earlier. UHmmm, I don't know about the others._

"Tara?" Willow rasped, suddenly afraid.

Oz had returned with the glass of water and understood her question"She'll be ok, Will, she woke up first. She's sleeping but she wanted to talk to you when you woke. Do you want me to get her"

"No. Let her sleep." rising to take a drink from the proffered glass and lying her head down with a groan. Oz turned to leave. "Oz, please. Stay" He nodded placing the water glass carefully on the cherry wood bedside table, taking up his vacated seat by the bed.

Maelyn watched them from troubled silver-grey eyes, knowing there was a history between the two humans who were awkwardly staring at each other. Their Triad wasn't melded yet, she pondered. Something needed to be done.

"You will have to get over this, whatever your deal is." she threw caution to the wind"We need you. You are a Triad, now, with all that goes with it. You, werewolf, you've got to stop avoiding, with the not touching and...Well, we already went over that."

Willow looked steadily at Maelyn"It's not that easy for us, we are human."

Maelyn made a rude noise"Right witch, and I'm the tooth fairy." A gasp was heard from the doorway, they swung their eyes to the door to see Tara standing with her hand over her mouth. Dawn behind her with a mug for Maelyn in her hand.

Maelyn was wondering how she could get them to link as a Triad when she felt the tickling sensation she always got from her link before Spike opened it. It flared open. She was inundated with the scent of arousal, images of flesh sliding, writhing together in passion and found herself becoming aroused by the sensual overload in her mind. Blue fire raised around her as she heard Spike, _Not yet, wait,_ he whispered to her across the link, sliding a phantom caress to feather her cheek.

At Maelyns' throaty moan, Willow looked over to see an apparently aroused vampire staring at her through eyes of silver flame. Before she could scoot away she was grabbed up into a forced embrace. She felt Maelyns' ridged face pressed to her vulnerable neck, as blue energy whined into action, a vortex beginning to lazily swirl around them.

"THIS is what you deny when you don't use your link." Maelyns' voice growled into her neck as she opened the Triads' link to Willow, connecting her to them. Willow was rocked by sensations. The feel of bodies locked in a primitive rhythm, one about to it's culmination, the feel of Maelyns' desire...she heard Spike growl out _Now!_

Maelyn "pushed", sending them all spinning into a maelstrom of violent orgasmic ecstasy and beyond, where time fell away. They floated in a place, peace permeating their united being. The vortex of blue energy shot to the ceiling, crawling across it like a fire burning it's way to the corners of the room.

Oz rushed the two on the bed, thinking Maelyn was feeding from Willow. He pulled at Maelyn to separate them and was drawn into the link, at the end when they began to separate into their individual selves. The energy whirling, winding down. He snatched his hands back, breaking contact, staring at his offending appendages.

Maelyn had allowed him to push her away from Willow, and fell loosely to her side on the bed, a small smile of contentment on her face_. Mmmm, that was great_ she purred to Spike, and received a masculine chuckle as a response before he closed the link.

Oz saw no marks on Willow, and allowed Tara by to check her. He angrily turned on Maelyn"Do that again and I'll dust you myself." Willows' eyes fluttered open, dazed. "Oz, stop. She didn't hurt me. I know how to open our link now, and I don't think we'll need the...sex, to do it." She heard Maelyns' disgusted "Humans" at her reluctance of using sex as a catalyst.

"Maelyn, it's wrong to intrude on people like that, but I understand why you did it. You had to show me. I'm not mad. But I bet they will be."

Dawn rushed to Maelyn with the mug of warmed blood"Sorry it took me so long.", carefully handing her the drink. Maelyn scooted over and gratefully took the warm mug in her hands. She sipped it slowly bringing it to her lips with both hands. Dawn waited patiently for her to drink it before hissing"What was that all about"

Maelyn shook her head slightly, looking at her over the top of the mug. Indicating she couldn't say at the moment. "Maelyn, are you feeling better? Maybe we should go to my room so Willow can rest." Dawn cunningly suggested. She was SO not getting by with not telling her!

Maelyn grinned at her. "Sure!" bouncing off the bed, causing Willow to groan.

She stopped guiltily. Moving to the side of the bed where Oz sat, Maelyn touched Willow lightly on the temple with a finger"I'm sorry. You're right about what I did. I just didn't know how to make you understand."

Willow smiled tersely at her"Yeah, well, it was... Rather intense." thinking of the passion displayed by Buffy and Spike, more than a little embarrassed. Maelyn grinned shamelessly.

"You don't like "intense"" she quizzed, lifting one delicate eyebrow in obvious fascination at the idea.

"I can remember "intense"." Willow almost defensively answered, looking at Oz and Tara. Maelyn giggled, her uninhibited laugh tinkling merrily around the room, making all that heard it smile in response.

Tara silently wondered what that was all about. Maelyns' aura had fairly shimmered like molten silver...she could See!

"I can See!" Tara blurted"I can See" , bursting into tears of relief, and gratitude to whatever Powers that had given back her Sight.

Oz frowned"Were you blind"

"Tara sees auras, Oz. The Quake must have temporarily 'blinded' her." Willow explained to the confused man in the chair next to her.

Maelyn curiously looked at Willow"You don't see them?" then to Oz, who shook his head negatively. "Really"

"You do?" Tara asked, awe coloring her voice. She doesn't know. She doesn't have a clue about her heritage. "I think we need to have a talk, Maelyn."

Dawn clutched Maelyn by the arm drawing her out of the room"Not now. She's coming to my room to ...uhm, rest." she shot to Tara over her shoulder.

Xander and Anya where walking home when they saw a blue-white energy beam shoot into the air from somewhere near the cemetery. It shot straight into the air like some wacky air-raid flood light, spreading out into ectoplasmic tendrils that snaked into the sky above them. That in itself was startling enough, but the second beam that shot into the night sky across town as if in response, was shocking. The light was a similar color, but twined around its' edges like cables was a sickening reddish orange that pulsated. Viewing it left them nauseated, physically ill, and feeling that it was 'wrong' somehow. The pure blue overwhelmed the orange threaded blue, forcing it back until it dissipated. They turned to look at each other as the floodlights beaming into the sky over Sunnydale suddenly cut off.

"What the hell was that?" Xander wondered aloud, fighting off lingering nausea.

"I'm not sure, Xander. That blue light looked like when Buffys' Triad activated in my shop. " Anya pointed out, tugging harder on his hand, pulling him toward their home. She would feel much better when they were safe behind a locked door. Not that it would stop all evil creatures of the night but it was comforting all the same.

"Is anyone else completely not ok with Buffy and Captain Peroxide? Am I the only one who remembers history, here" he voiced his concerns.

"Xander, didn't you tell me he kept his girlfriend from eating you" Anya mentioned reasonably.

"That was just so Buffy wouldn't dust her."

Sighing with exasperation, Anya stopped dead in her tracks. The exertion she had been putting on his arm while dragging him along disappeared causing him to stumble, bumping into her. She placed her hands on her hip and whirled to look up at him, a mulish expression on her face.

Uh-oh. She's going to use my first **and** last name.

"Alexander Harris", Anya scolded"What does it take to impress you? He fought beside you all summer, helped take care of Dawn, and saved your sorry ass from that Chaos demon" A glint of hurt suspicion crept into her eyes"Is it just him? Or any man who takes an interest in YOUR precious Slayer"

"An.", Xander realized he'd crossed some line somewhere probably about two counties over"Anya. No. That isn't it. I just don't want to see her hurt like she was with Angel. God, An, it was like it hurt her to breath." He looked at his loves' expectant face"I don't want to **ever **feel that. What if something happened and he could hurt you. I don't think I could live with that kind of pain, An. She couldn't. It's part of what made her jump."

Anyas' face softened at the pain he let bleed into his voice. "Xander." she softly said"He doesn't have a soul to lose. He's being good all on his own." waving away his beginning protest"Oh, I know. The chip. It's not really that problematic. The chip didn't make him stay when she was gone. It doesn't make him love Dawn, or make him prevent Maelyn from eating you. Think about it."

Alexander Harris looked into her eyes, seeing her honest belief in what she said"I will." pulling her into his embrace for a kiss. "Lets' go home." They walked arm in arm, enjoying the scent of the honeysuckle that lined the chain link fence parallel to the sidewalk, as it floated on the night air.

Buffy lay panting in a supine, languorous sprawl on top of Spike. His hands continued to slide down her warm, sweat-slicked body in lascivious greed. He couldn't get enough of her. He grasped her by the hips and slid her to the side, rolling with her onto his side to look at her.

"I can't believe she did that, Spike." Buffy quietly referred to Maelyns' intrusion, not realizing Spike initiated the link"I just had a menage-a-toi and one of us was invisible"

Spike scrutinized her leisurely, hand under his head, pillowing it. His eyes smoldering"What, it wasn't good for you" knowing the answer, smiling smugly.

SMACK! He caught a face full of pillow, and heard laughter in her voice"You **are **a pervert" He lay under the pillow and her body as she tickled and poked him in the ribs.

"Wxrt, blumf u el Ewow" He queried from under the pillow on his face. Buffy raised it up and questioned him.

"What"

Spike slyly smirked at her"I said, What didn't you feel Willow"

Shocked, she wailed"What do you mean? Willow was there too? OhMYGOD! I'll never be able to look her in the face!" burying her face in the pillow in mortification.

Spike smiled"No privacy in a Triad it seems, luv." , not the least bit disturbed by having 'virtual' sex with two other women. He pulled the pillow from her sharply, causing her to raise a blushing face to look at him.

He cupped her cheek, caressing her lips with a thumb, and leaned in for a soft kiss. Drawing her into his arms, she lay with her head on his chest, arm around him, snuggling up to him for comfort. Closing her eyes, she sighed. She felt his lips on her forehead,

"I love you Buffy." he solemnly murmured into her hair.

Uneasiness assailed him concerning the true purpose of the Triads. He lay awake, savoring the feel of the woman next to him, knowing that things between them had forever been altered partially because of the meld they had experienced. During it, she had become part of him in ways no one ever should with another, but it drew her in.

She had held herself away from him, giving only her body, afraid of herself and who she became when with him. The link had freed her from those fears, and he was grateful. But the PTBs were ever the cold bastards when it came to toying with peoples' lives and he didn't trust the direction this was all going.

"So what did you do? To Willow" Dawn sat cross-legged on her bed, eyes sparkling with curiosity. It had to be something about sex, that's about the only thing no one would discuss with her about, out in the open.

Maelyn sat with legs extended off the bed so she could paddle her feet up and down, leaning back on her arms for support. "I linked her to Spike and Buffy, when they were...you know." she snickered wickedly.

Dawn squealed in surprise"What! She is SO going to kill you!" laughing at the thought of Willow, Spike and Buffy together..."Eww.", she wrinkled her nose.

Maelyn grinned mischievously"We could do that, sometime. No one would have to know."

"What! EW! No! I mean, who'd want to see their sister having sex" Dawn exaggeratedly gave a wiggy shudder.

Laughing Maelyn reassured her"Not with Buffy. With Spike and me. Aren't you curious", she tempted Dawn"You'd get to feel everything and not actually..Ah..Consumate." she euphemistically explained.

Dawn stilled, a serious look on her face"I am curious. I've only been kissed by a boy...well, he was a vamp, but I really liked him. It. The kissing. Until he tried to turn me..." her face suffused with a distant pain.

"So, would you want to"

"I don't know, Maelyn. I know they all think I'm young. But I almost died once, and I'm afraid that I'll die before I get to know anything about the love that goes on between two people." Dawn admitted, fearful of making it real by saying it out loud. "When this Triad battle goes down, who knows"

Maelyn heard the fear in her voice and responded to it by crawling over to her and laying her head in her lap. Dawn stroked her hair, letting her tears fall on the backs of her hands.

"It'll be ok, Dawn. I won't let you die, I won't." she fervently assured the girl who had become second in her life next to her mate, and Sire.

"Sometimes I just want to feel like I'm really here, Maelyn. Not like I'm some mystical key who is now just a stupid girl, who isn't allowed to kiss or be touched..." thinking of Oz and the Blood Bond that burned into her. Pain on a daily basis.

"It hurts, this ..thing..I can't eat, or sleep most of the time and the only time it ever gets better is when I'm in the same room with him." Dawn sat up, stiffening her spine.

Maelyn rolled to look up at her"They don't know that you feel like that, that they are making you feel like that. They think they are protecting you, you know that, right"

"Would Spike know I'm there?" Dawn tentatively asked, changing the subject, not wanting to talk about the pain anymore, shoving it away like she had been doing.

"Not if I'm good." Maelyn smiled slowly, promising Dawn the anonymity that an oblivious

Spike could provide.

The town was abuzz with the talk about the fortress that just appeared overnight on the edge of town. No one could explain it. It was the subject of the morning news in Sunnydale.

Dawn sat on the floor between the couch and the coffee table, using it as a place for her cereal bowl, watching the TV. "Hey Oz!" she yelled through a mouthful of cereal, dribbling milk down her chin. She quickly wiped it on her T-shirt jammies and hollered again. "You gotta come see this"

Oz walked through the kitchen doorway with a plate of eggs and toast, a glass of milk in his other hand. "What? Saturday morning cartoons. I haven't seen those for a while."

He came into the living room, walking to where Dawn was squeezed between the furniture. He made a decision, stepping over her head. She ducked down at his motion and he swung himself onto the couch behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him, bemused by his choice of seats, receiving a smile from him.

He leaned forward, reaching past her shoulder to set his milk on the table and whispered in her ear"You can lean on my legs. It's legal." She relaxed into his legs, using them as a backrest. That felt good, she thought, feeling the stretched, painful feeling inside her mind begin to subside. It relieved the pain that had been there, that she had become acclimated to feeling.

"So, what's on?" he inquired around a bite of toast.

"The News. Some weird story about a castle or something. Just "poof", there over night." she said as she chomped her cereal, turning up the sound with the remote.

"That sounds normal." eliciting a look from Dawn that plainly said he was crazy. "For the Hellmouth." he amended, tapping her shoulder pointing to his milk on the table. She handed it to him, her fingers touching his, causing her to cautiously look at his face. He grinned at her. Willow must be nuts, he was hot! Dawn thought to herself.

She turned over to cartoons. Oz kept a running commentary that was hysterically funny for the conciseness of his remarks. Dawn laughed and found herself flirting a little. What surprised her was that he responded to her. He was a lot of fun, she decided. When he wasn't trying so hard not to touch her. That wasn't a problem this morning she noticed. It wasn't anything anyone could say was 'inappropriate', just casual touches that were working into more deliberate ones.

She wondered if he'd been in as much pain as she'd been. Well, the hell with Spike, she wasn't going through that anymore, she promised herself. He had finished his plate and had placed it on the coffee table, settling back into the sofa. She got up the nerve to push his legs apart and scoot back between them, nestling her cheek on one while curling an arm around the other.

He leaned forward to grab the remote off the table and was rewarded with a vicious pinch to the leg, Dawn making a grab at it in his hand. Startled he jumped, almost letting go of the remote.

Dawn launched herself at his arm trying to weight it down. But he managed to pull away from her grasp, holding the remote over his head. Out of her reach, until she twisted around and tickled him under the arm, instinctively knowing his ticklish spot.

"Hey, no fair." he said, laughter in his voice, dodging sideways to avoid her tickling.

Dawn raised an eyebrow"Who told you Remote War was fair?" she dove into his torso with punishing tickles until they rolled off the couch on to the floor. He was laughing out right now, and Dawn was on top, laughing her head off. Suddenly, they realized where they were, Dawn studied his face seriously, tracing his cheek with a finger"You hurt me, you know."

Oz allowed his shame and regrets to show on his face"I know, I'm sorry Dawn. That's done now. It won't be like that again, I promise."

She nodded, smiling shyly at him. God, she was a beautiful girl. Oz realized this was going to be a tricky line to walk, here. "Uh, not complaining, but we need to get up." he reminded her, savoring the physical contact that the Blood Bond demanded.

She crawled off him to the table and picked up her bowl, his plate and glass, smiling a little smile, and walked to the kitchen. Oz hauled himself up onto the couch, finding his pillow from the night before; he lay down to watch TV.

Dawn rinsed the breakfast dishes, humming a little. This was good. This was so good, the pain was leaving. She could feel herself relax in relief. She had to find some way to make this last. What happened when he leaves? The pain comes back? Whirling around she gripped the counter. Well, I'm not doing that now; I'm going back in there! she decided.

Oz looked up when Dawn walked between his line of vision and the TV, her face expressive with sorrow and fear. "Oz, what happens when you go home to your apartment? It's going to hurt. Please...it doesn't hurt as long as you touch me...make it stop." she pleaded; tears unshed shining in her eyes.

Oz reached out a hand to take hold of hers, pulling her down on the couch. "Lay down, sweetheart, we'll snuggle for awhile. I think the more contact we maintain the less the pain will be, until it goes completely away. Then being away won't hurt like this. We just did it wrong to begin with. Come here." he drew her into his confident embrace, reaching for the afghan on the back of the couch to cover them. She wiggled into him until their bodies molded around each other's in comfort. She sighed. He stroked her head, planting a kiss on it.

"Let's take a nap. Everyone around here aren't morning people anyway." he observed, yawning hugely before pressing his face into the back of her neck, and inhaling her scent deeply. He fell instantly asleep in the manner of all things lupine.

Dawn smiled contentedly, drifting off to sleep.

Maelyn smiled, pleased that her talk with Oz worked so well. Coming down the staircase, running her hand along the polished wood railing, she saw them comfortably ensconced on the couch, sleeping. Good, this ought to take away Dawns' pain, eventually. She couldn't understand the stupidity of peoples' weird standards about sex. She rolled her eyes, shrugged, and continued on to the kitchen for some breakfast.

Buffy opened the door quickly to let Spike rush in, blanket over his head, steam rising in ribbons. "Damn, I think there's a hole in the soddin' blanket" he complained, bumping into Buffy. He threw off the offending cover to see what held her up, following her frozen gaze to the couch.

A growl ripped it's way from his chest, starting forward only to be ripped backward by something. Or someone, he thought, looking over his shoulder to see what had a hold on him. He saw Maelyn, scowling furiously at him, _GO TO THE KITCHEN, _she yelled telepathically at them, making them wince.

She pushed Spike, pummeling and cuffing him to get his reluctant cooperation. Buffy followed, amused by her ferocity toward her Sire, glancing backward toward the couch where her sister was sleeping in the embrace of her Triad partner.

Once in the kitchen, Spike exploded"WHAT the hell is going on, Maelyn" He furiously uttered through clenched teeth.

"OH just stop! It's completely innocent." , she snarled back" YOU people are such..such assholes! What? It's ok for us to shag all the time, but they aren't even allowed the comfort of a touch?" she was becoming more agitated"Do you even know how much pain she's been in because of you and your stupid rules? It hurts not to give into the Blood Bond. You wouldn't know because we haven't tried not to. But I can feel it, smell it, see it coming off her in waves when Oz isn't around."

Buffy was shocked at this, no one had told her. Dawn hadn't told her. "She's in pain"

"Constantly. Do you live in a vacuum? Haven't you looked at her? She's lost weight, she has eye circles! I put a stop to it. At least **Oz **cares about her and doesn't want to see her hurting!" she glared at Spike"Unlike YOU!" she hissed.

"He's way to old for her. Niblett doesn't know about men like that." he growled, his protective instinct in full overdrive"And I don't care for the way he's glued to her in there!"

He started for the doorway only to be attacked from behind by his enraged childe. She grabbed him by the hair, yanking his head back, in a shocking display of strength, exposing his throat. He heard her teeth snap air, in a mock ritualistic action, near his throat before he instinctively reacted. In a motion too quick to follow, he slewed around, twisting out of her grasp to face her...and was shocked to see her fury blazing out at him from silver eyes, fangs bared at him.

She was facing him down over this, knowing the consequences of attacking her Sire, Spike was taken aback. He silently eyed his overwrought mate, knowing he had to calm her before this went downhill, in a big way.

"Pet, what're you doin'?" he calmly asked in a soothing tone.

"Spike." Buffy began, worried about their argument getting out of hand"maybe...". And fell quiet when Spike held his had up toward her in a blunt gesture, not taking his eyes off the furious girl blocking the doorway defensively.

"I won't let you hurt her anymore."

"I don't want her to be hurt." he responded, keeping his tone reasonable. Careful not to over stimulate her with strong emotion, knowing a vampire on the verge of a Challenge.

"Then stop with the "big brother", she's fifteen years old, not a baby! You are all taking her life from her with this..." she flicked a hand toward him"obsession. We may all be dead soon, you don't know! I don't. We're weapons now, and that means fighting. Who gets to walk? You" pointing to Buffy"Her? Any of us"

Maelyn saw how uncomfortable her words made them, Good. It's about time they think about this. She already had. Buffy was leaning on the counter on both elbows, her head down, face buried in her hands as the reality of their situation was flung in her face by a girl almost her sisters' age. Spike could feel her anxiety beating at him. He stepped over to touch her on the back, with smoothing, patting motions, attempting to calm her. He glared at his obstinate childe.

Buffy relaxed under his touch with a sigh" You're right, Maelyn. I didn't understand Willow when she said it was binding. I ...maybe I didn't want to. But I don't want her hurt.", she looked up at the girls' beautiful face"I trust Oz not to do that."

Maelyn nodded her understanding. She'd won over the sister. Now about her Sire, she thought as she stared at him in Challenge. He recognized it for what it was and shook his head; he couldn't quite get his mind around it. The silly bint would Challenge over a man being able to touch Dawn? That was insane, it was a stupid act that would end in disaster for her. She was barely out of fledgling status. Realization hit him; she acted in defense of Dawn. He could understand, he loved Dawn and would give his life to keep her safe.

"All right then, luv. Play it your way.", he smiled at her to dispel the fright in her eyes over the consequences of her actions.

She flew to him then, to be gathered into his arms. He lowered his face into her hair, and could feel her shaking in shocked reaction to her reckless bid to purchase Dawns' well-being with a Challenge to her Sire. He'd have never let it go that far, being the elder of the two and a little in love with her. Buggar. A lot in love with her.

"Everything ok here" Buffy spoke quietly at his side, looking up at him"We're in agreement, then"

He peered at her over his trembling childes' head"Yeah, sod all, we're together on this one. It'll take some getting used to. I won't twist his bloody head off, I swear it." He could feel Maelyns' tears on his shirt and shifted his grip on her to lift her into his arms, cradling her to him. "Shhhh, baby, it's alright.", he spoke into her ear.

"Take my room, Spike. She's pretty shook up. I'll make sure you are left alone.", Buffys' knowing eyes on him. He nodded and disappeared out the door and up the stairs.

Buffy knew there was another level of something going on during the episode in the kitchen but wasn't sure what happened. Only that Maelyn wouldn't back down and Spike had somehow allowed her to save face. She had seen Angel do this with Spike, so she knew it was a bloodline thing. Maybe she'd ask him about it later. She'd never witnessed vampire behavior from the other end of the stake. There seemed to be a lot she didn't know.

Willow had felt well enough to come down for lunch; she noted that something had changed between Oz and Dawn. They were at ease around each other, where they had been edgy before. They sat next to each other at the table, Oz leaning back in his chair, one arm carelessly flung across the back of Dawns' chair. Dawn was chattering about some building appearing as if by 'magic' that had been on the news. Wait. What?

"What", Willow frowned, perplexed"Dawn, what building"

"More like some fortress, castle-type thingy they said. The whole town was freaking over it on the news this morning.", she answered around the corn chips she'd shoved in her mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouth full.", Buffy rebuked automatically, receiving a dirty look for her effort.

Willow pushed away from the table"Buffy, we need to go to the Magic Box. I need to talk to Tara about this, she left a note saying that is where she'd be today."

"I'll walk you over, Will, you're still a little out of it. Wouldn't want you fainting away in the street," Buffy teased"let's grab a sweater."

Willow grinned wryly at Dawn"Boy, she's bossy."

"Don't I know it", Dawn responded, rolling her eyes, taking another bite of her turkey sandwich.

"Oh, by the way Dawn, Spike and Maelyn are sleeping in my room. Don't bother them, they need some down time." Buffy told her as she slung her arms into her sweater, shrugging into it, on the way out the door behind Willow.

"Sure.", Dawn offhandedly agreed, chugging the rest of her milk. Oz brushed a strand of hair from Dawns' face, flipping it back out of the way, over her shoulder. He was glad to see her eat. She'd grown so thin since their Bonding. He sighed, he should have thought about it since he'd been off his feed, too. Why didn't Buffy notice how thin she'd gotten, or the tired circles under her eyes, he thought angrily.

Dawn stifled a yawn"God, I don't know where that came from! We slept all morning", covering her mouth, yawning into her hand.

"Triptophan." Oz replied, in his usual monosyllabic way.

"Gesundheit" Dawn cracked. Not understanding his reference.

Oz smiled at her flippant response"Triptophan. It's an enzyme in the turkey. It makes you sleepy."

"Oh." yawning hard, bringing tears to her eyes.

"Come on Sleeping Beauty, let's get you to bed." Oz gently lifted her from her chair and carried her to her room.

Warren was brooding. He had been certain that there would be some way to artificially, scientifically control the Source by computerization or through invention, such as the many gadgets they'd already created. Through trial and error, mostly error, it became apparent that the only way to control it was the old fashioned way.

It had taken the three of them to access the Power, using ritual magics to bend it to their will. Their first effort resulted in the fortification they were now inside. He'd decided they had to protect their position first and foremost.

It had some side effects that had been unexpected. Jonathon, being the magic wielder of the Three, had bled rather alarmingly from his nose, eyes and probably other orifices he wouldn't talk about, during the attempt to harness the Source.

Andrew said the Power had numbed his arms up to the shoulder from holding onto Jonathon's' hand in the Circle. That had been amusing for a time, watching Andrew flop around like a boneless chicken. Warren himself had been whacked with a monster migraine. The Source was hard to control, but it responded, albeit unwillingly to their combined efforts.

The fortress appeared overnight surrounding the original house where the pentagram on the basement floor breached the Source. He'd had Jonathon caste a spell to make his parents unaware of the change, like a looped film, they thought it was the same old house. Never questioning why they never wanted to go out, or leave the upper level.

Jonathon and Andrew wanted to caste more spells to make their collection of Star Wars figurines into life-size Golems. so they could game with them. Warren had nixed that. For now. He had to plan his next moves carefully, the Slayer and the rest of the goodie-twoshoes would be aware of something amiss by now. He couldn't risk squandering the Power on fools' toys.

Warren tapped his index finger on his lower lip, squinting his eyes, hmmmm...yes. That would be very good, indeed. He turned to the computer and began typing up his plan for the domination of Earth.


	8. Cry Havoc part 8

TITLE- Cry "Havoc"

AUTHOR- Buffitude

RATING- R

DISCLAIMER- Some are, some aren't...Joss owns 'em... Thank god! If I did I'd probably screw them up!

SUMMARY- discoveries, confessions, repercussions...

Special thanks to Loreena McKennitt and her musical rendition of the Alfred Noyes poem The Highwayman...way cool.

Buffy and Willow opened the door to the Magic Box, causing the bell to jingle. Buffy glanced at the annoying noisemaker, wishing fervently that she could rip it off the doorframe. She hadn't liked it since the 'mummy hand' incident. Glaring at it, she motioned Willow through the door.

At the sound of the doors' bell, Tara looked up from the book she'd been perusing. Anya raised an eyebrow when she saw who it was, pursing her lips in disappointment. Another lost sale.

Buffy strode through the shop in the confident manner she unconsciously exuded. She reached the table and placed her hands on her hips, looking around for Xander. "Where's Xander" She asked Anya, feeling antsy, needing to work out in the training room but not wanting to do it alone.

"He's downstairs stocking the product that was delivered today." Anya told her, not looking up from the magazine on the counter. Buffy wasn't a customer and the Brides R Us magazine had the latest advice on seating difficult family members at a wedding dinner. Any tips she could glean from this article would be put to good use.

Willow came to the table, awkwardly trying to decide whether to sit next to Tara, or across from her. Tara solved her dilemma by shoving the chair next to her, out toward Willow, with her foot. She smiled shyly at Willow, nodding her encouragement.

Willow slung her bag onto the table by its long strap and seated herself into the chair. "Have you heard about the new addition to the Sunnydale landscape"

"What, the castle? Yes, I've been wondering about that...", Tara closed the book she had been reading"It's obviously too much a coincidence...I think it must be connected with whoever has a-a-ttacked the Mother. They have already begun draining the Power, I can feel it. In the morning, when you can See best, I noticed the Earthlight fluctuating. " Her stutter becoming more pronounced with her increased agitation, Tara plunged on"W-what can we d-do? We have to find them and stop this, soon"

Buffy contemplated this"So how do we find them"

"Oh just follow their signal light.", Anya suggested, annoyed with their density.

Buffy turned to Anya"What? What does that mean", the demoness could just be SO not forthcoming with the information. Why couldn't she talk like other people, Buffy thought in exasperation.

Xander walked to the sales counter, overhearing the conversation as he came up the stairs from the storeroom. "She's talking about the crazy light display we saw shooting into the sky like the Bat Signal, last night. One looked like the blue" he made a whirling gesture with his hand"tornado YOU made here the other night."

Buffy and Willow both made choking noises and suddenly looked as if they'd rather be elsewhere.

"I've got to train. You guys keep on with the Mulder. You'll work something out, and can tell me later." and the Slayer practically ran for the training room.

Anya, Xander, and Tara watched her uncharacteristic retreat. Tara looked back at Willow"That was weird. What was that about"

"I wouldn't know.", Willow evasively answered, cheeks flushed"So Xander, about this 'bat signal' you saw. Was that it? Just a light in the sky", she changed the subject.

"No. There was another light, Will, it looked ...wrong. Looking at it hurt my eyes, and made me sick." Xander rubbed his stomach as he remembered the intense nausea he'd felt upon viewing the orange tinged light.

"What did it look like" Tara frowned.

"It was like the other one, but it has red threading through it. Encasing it, like a cage." Anya told them.

Willow and Tara sucked in a collective breath. This was it! The breach in the Source"Where! Where did you see it" Willow demanded.

Anya shook her head; "It was in the sky. I don't know where it came from, we were walking home from Buffys'."

Willow grabbed her woven bag, fishing for her laptop"Could you find it if I called up a map"

Tara frowned in consternation at her choice of words"Willow, it won't be necessary to use magic..."

"What? No. NO!" Willow hurriedly assured them. "No, **calling. **I mean, you know, search the net, pull one up on the laptop." she pulled it out of her bag"No magic." Everyone relaxed in understanding.

"Well, Xander probably could. Maybe Captain Commando knew map reading." Anya helpfully offered. Xander silently winced, he wished she'd not call him that. That knowledge was a part of him now, and she made it seem... he sighed.

"I could triangulate a vector if you could get one up." he acknowledged.

Alrighty then. Willow jacked into her laptops' port with the phone line that had been installed at the table by Giles. Giles. She missed him so much at times like this. He may have been stuffy librarian guy, but she had gotten used to his ways, and he always seemed to know what to do. She wished she hadn't been such a disappointment to him...and to herself. She sighed as she waited for the modem to dial up, tapping her fingers idly on the keys. "Ok, I'm on."

"Let's see what I can find." her fingers flew over the keypad making muted tappity-tapping sounds. "Ah. Here Xander, look at this one." she turned the laptop toward him, sliding it around so he could see the screen.

Xander viewed the map, accessing his army guy memories, and tapped his finger on the screen"Here. Definitely, here."

Willow turned the laptop back to her"I'll call up the satellite search engine, it will zoom in on the location so we can see where the breach is." Willow waited while the satellite located the coordinates and magnified the place"OH shit!" she groaned.

Taras' eyes widened, Willow rarely swore"What, Will? What is it"

"The Fortress."

Spike gently lay his mate on the bed, not wanting to release her; he quickly shed his leather coat dropping it on the floor, and followed. He pulled her to him and she wrapped herself around him tightly, her face buried in his shoulder. She still had tremors running through her. She shivered spasmodically.

"Maelyn." he began, and felt her shake her head"no.""no", and "no" again. She didn't want to talk, she was afraid.

He pushed away far enough to look at her face. Her lovely face. God, but she was beautiful, even when she'd been crying. He brushed his thumb gently across her cheek, wiping the tears away. They clung to her cheek, her lips. He bent his head to her lips, tasting the blood-tinged salt of her tears. He ran his tongue across them, slowly up her cheek, pecking her face with soft intermittent kisses.

She opened her eyes, silver with tears, to look at her Sire"What will you do with me?" she whispered, her voice dead of emotion.

Spike smiled at her question"Don't you know?" he asked, curious as to what she thought he was going to do regarding the incident in the kitchen.

"I know. I saw what the Dark One did to the one's who lost Challenge. I know..." she felt tears tracing down her face"I'd rather meet the sun. Please...I know I have no right to ask..." she begged him.

Hating them, he stopped her words with his mouth, caressing the inside of hers' with his tongue before pulling away. He suddenly pushed away from her; furious at the knowledge she should never have possessed. Remembering how Druscilla dealt with her fledglings that had so foolishly Challenged her, he'd never been bothered by it before, it had been the way of things. He sat up with a fluid rolling motion, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, boots hitting the floor.

Maelyn misunderstood his seeming rejection of her. She was going to die, at the hands of her Love. She rose to a kneeling position on the center of the bed, hands clasped in her lap. Still. Waiting.

Feeling the bed shift with her movement, Spike turned to look at her. He scowled at the submissive position she had taken on the bed. Damn. He always enjoyed her defiance, her fire. It was gone. What could he do to get it back? He slid toward her, rising above her on his knees. She didn't flinch but sat as still as stone.

"What are you going to do with me", she had to know, to prepare herself for the ordeal to come.

"Love you.", he replied, touching her chin, lifting it to look into her eyes. Those words caused her eyes to flame. They glowed. For me, he thought, only for me.

At his words, Maelyn felt true; unadulterated, fierce joy surge through her. He'd never told her he loved her. She knew he cared about her, that he wanted her. Never had he said anything of love.

_Maelyn, come here, _he commanded in a sultry voice that flowed into her mind.

_Make me." _ She responded all her love for him radiating from her to him through their link. Taking her shoulders in his hands, he leaned his brow against hers, closing his eyes at the intensity of the emotions flowing from her, through him, surrounding him. He laughed weakly at her uttered response.

She flung her arms around his neck, falling backward, drawing him down with her. He smoothly guided their descent until he lay on her, supporting his weight on his arms. She allowed her thighs to fall open so he could press closer.

"Mmmm.", she half growled, half purred up at him. He intensely watched her face as he sensuously moved against her, his eyes never breaking contact with hers"Tell me!", he demanded of her.

"I love you.", wriggling closer. Suddenly there were too many things between them. She needed to feel his skin. She tore at his shirt, pulling it out of the back of his jeans, over his head. He helped shrug out of it, returning his attention to her, once free of it.

Maelyn ran her hands over the lean muscles of his chest, down to his hard abs. Stroking further down, feeling his belly quiver in response to her touch. She smiled. He stopped her exploring with his hand, grasping hers' and pulling them back to his chest, holding them there. Questioning with her eyes, she waited, wondering what he was about.

He hesitated, unsure whether to broach the subject now when he could smell her arousal stirring. Making his decision, he rolled to the side, pulling her with him, throwing a leg over hers effectively pinioning her in place. "Maelyn, we need to talk.", he told her, trying to still her questing hands. He heard her mewl in frustration.

"Later" she begged him"not NOW.", scratching her nails along his side drawing blood. Eyes narrowing at the scent, she started making whimpering, growling sounds in her throat.

"Yes, now! Damnit, lay still.", he commanded her, fighting his rising desire for her. He had to have this out with her, it wasn't something that could be shagged away and forgotten. "I don't fancy tying you up, but...hmmm, OK. I may fancy that, but if you don't stop doing that" referring to her undulations against him"I will restrain you. Unpleasantly."

She stopped her movements, worriedly looking at his face"ok"; she capitulated in a small voice.

"Now baby, don't look at me like that." he cajoled her, continuing while he wasn't distracted by her gyrations"Maelyn. You can't do that again. You initiated Challenge. Were you anyone else's childe, you'd be dust now. If I wasn't over 120, you may still have been. D'ya hear me, pet" He spoke to her seriously, a hint of strong emotion trembling in his voice.

Maelyn soberly watched his face as he spoke; she read it all there, his anxiety and love for her. "I won't, I swear. Not ever. I didn't want to then."

"I know. Your devotion to the Bit is admirable...but your loyalty, it should come to me first. Me." he buried his face into her neck"God, baby what made you do it" he burst out.

She pulled her hands from his grasp, raising them to his face, tracing his cheek bones with trembling fingers...he was so beautiful"Her pain. Her loneliness. It pierced me, here." she said, pulling his hand to her breast. He cupped it in his hand, suddenly needing the pleasure she had offered. Their eyes met and she knew there would be no more waiting.

Oz was snoring. Dawn had waked to the tune he was playing in his sleep. She smiled lazily; a girl could get used to this, having someone holding her, waking up in his arms. She stretched luxuriously, her movement waking Oz.

"Hey.", he said softly, his eyes still veiled with sleep.

"You snore.", Dawn informed him grinning into the sleepy face he to presented her.

"I didn't know. Do I drool?", he asked with a small self-depreciatory smile.

"Nope. No drool." Dawn assured him, allowing her eyes to linger on his face. She raised a hand to his mouth, running her fingers across his lips. He lay quietly, allowing her exploration, lips curling into a smile under her fingers.

Dawn felt a tickling at the back of her mind. Maelyn. She frowned, wondering why she was opening their link. She stiffened as she was hit with the full impact of what she was seeing...and feeling. Oh god! she moaned as she felt a mouth on her breast...No, not hers! Maelyns'! She was lost in sensations she had never felt before. It was confusing. It was exciting. It was so unbelievably good. She writhed on the bed, dimly aware that someone was touching her, speaking her name. Dawn grasped the hand that was shaking her. Sparks flew; blue flame shimmered into existence around them.

Oz was shocked. He'd been looking at Dawn as she gently ran her fingers across his mouth and saw her eyes widen. Then glaze with a distant misty look. The mist suddenly ignited into a burning flame of desire, passion suffused her face.

"Dawn. Hey." he touched her trying to reach her through her glazed look. Then she started to pant, and moan, writhing on the bed covers. He sat bolt upright reaching her with both hands, shaking her"DAWN" She grabbed his hand. SNAP! Sparks flew and began their lazy circles, turning into a vortex of blue flame. At that instant, Oz was drawn into the link by his Triad partner and Blood Bonded mate.

She aggressively assailed his mouth with her own, latching onto him with both arms. Wrapping around his torso, sliding them up his back. He vaguely knew this wasn't right, could feel Maelyn through the link and fleetingly vowed he'd make her sorry for playing with Dawn this way. But it was only fleeting because Dawn was climbing up his body like a vine. The erotic scents of her body and the images of flesh moving sinuously against flesh overwhelmed him, submerging him in the meld.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her down in his lap. Dawn lifted her legs around him, leaning into him rubbing against his chest. Her hands twisted into his hair, when he attempted to pull away, holding his mouth to hers. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, tasting her, groaning at the sweetness he found there. The vortex began its whine as it powered up, blue light flickering around the room.

Dawn was lost, she only knew want. She became need. She threw back her head and began to move against Oz, mimicking the rhythm set by Maelyn and Spike. She whimpered her frustration until he pressed up toward her. Their clothes were a barrier to what she wanted and she growled in her throat, she could feel Spike inside...and wanted...suddenly she felt a wave of pleasure wash through her, she wailed clutching at Oz. They were one, not knowing where the others began, where they themselves ended, time fell away, and they knew peace. The vortex energy whine lessened as the whirling energy fell out, flickering into oblivion.

Oz clasped Dawn to him, letting her shuddering body come back from the maelstrom they had rode. God. god., he shakily thought, sanity coming back in an unpleasant rush. Dawn was weeping.

"Dawn. I'm so sorry." he stroked her hair, not daring to look at her face"I'm sorry." He felt terrible! This was something she should have experienced with someone she was in love with, not a man like him. A man, not a man. An inhuman creature. He was such a bastard, and he was going to stake that vampire bitch of Spikes'.

"Dawn, please, don't.." he pleaded with the sobbing girl he held in his lap. She tightened her embrace when he would have moved her. She finally got control over herself and raised her face to look at him. He steeled himself for her hatred, and anger for what happened between them, he deserved it. He should have stopped. He looked into her tear-streaked face and saw...awe, wonder, sitting there for all the world to see, had it eyes to look upon it.

"Is it always like that", she whispered, reverently. Her innocence shining like a beacon, drawing him in. He exhaled the breath he'd been holding, closing his eyes. Holding the image of her face at that moment, to him, wanting to remember it. Opening his eyes he looked into hers"No. Not always.", he admitted"Never like that."

Suddenly shy, she ducked her head. He chucked her under the chin, nudging her head back up, gently rubbing his thumb along her jawbone. "This wasn't your fault, Dawn. This shouldn't have happened. Not with me. It should have been...special, with someone you love. I'm sorry that was taken from you."

Dawns' expressive eyes filled with pain"It was special, Oz. It was with you. You are my Bond-mate; we're in a Triad together. I don't want anyone else.", sudden realization crossed her face"Oh. I...I understand, it's Willow. You don't want me. " She looked down, hurrying on"It's ok. It's not like we...uh, consummated or anything. We kept our clothes on and..."

"WHAT" trying to follow that leap in feminine logic"NO! God, Dawn, no." shaking his head in denial.

"What then? I don't understand..", her voice hitched unsteadily, breaking"If not that, w-why don't you want m-me"

_**"CHRIST**",_ he uncharacteristically bellowed, shoving her off his lap, leaping off the bed. He agitatedly shoved his hand through his hair"Not WANT you" He stopped, began again, covering his eyes with a hand, massaging them. "Girl, you don't know what you are talking about" he practically shouted at her, struggling for control, breathing deeply.

Dawn stared at him from the awkward heap she'd been tossed into from his lap.

He spoke in low tones"Not want you? Do you have any idea what you do to me? Here I am, playing it cool, trying to do the right thing. When everything in me is howling for me to...", he stopped, looking at her, speaking through clenched teeth"I want you. God help me, and I shouldn't."

Dawn smiled at that, a secret woman's' smile"Good.". She had gotten through his calm exterior after all. Her smile grew. He wanted her.

He eyed her warily, that wasn't the response he'd expected. But then he didn't know what he'd expected at his revelation, certainly not her satisfied, smug smile.

"Oz.", she said his name, letting it roll from her tongue, savoring it. She stretched out on her bed.

"What."

She reached her arm toward him, hand outstretched. He found himself reaching for her hand, letting her lead him to her on the bed. He crawled across to her, gathering her into his arms, curling around her instinctively covering her with his scent.

"What." he said into her hair, knowing he was lost. His heart belonged to her. She was so young. But he could wait. He breathed her in deep, the wolf in him recognizing its mate.

"Nothing, I just wanted to say your name." she sighed, content with his arms around her. "Love you", she mumbled as she drifted into sleep.

Oz smiled wryly"Me too, sweetheart, me too..", unwinding himself from her, he covered her with a blanket and left the room in search of Spike.

Buffy bent over, hands on knees, letting the sweat run off her face to spatter on the training room floor. That went well. I totally beat the hell out of the dangerous punching bag. Well, it looked shifty, she thought sarcastically.

She stood, placing one hand on her opposite shoulder and tugged, feeling a pop. That was better. Maybe she could sneak out without having to face anyone. Especially Willow, god how embarrassing. That damned Maelyn needs to be taught manners. She couldn't understand why Spike indulged her the way he did. Well, on second thought...Thinking of the girls' eerie beauty, she could. Men, she snorted.

No. She had to deal. Back into the breach. Maybe the gang had come up with something. Buffy opened the door resolutely and nonchalantly moved into the room. To her surprise, they didn't seem to be looking sidewise at her. Maybe it had passed over their heads! Chalk one up for Subtlety Girl.

"Hey guys, any luck" Glances cast her way, attention back to the laptop on the table.

"Yeah, looks like our perps are holed up in the...surprise!... fortress." Xander volunteered with heavy sarcasm.

Buffy frowned at that. "The magic Fortress? From the news? Well, what happened to the people that lived there when the place appeared? Did it just land on them like Dorthys' house"

Everyone stared at her, various degrees of "OH" on their faces. "Of course!" Willow exclaimed, muttering "stupid, stupid, I'm so stupid." under her breath, as she tapped the keys that would lead her to the address' prior occupants.

"Mr. Mrs. Walter Meers." Willow frowned"Why does that sound familiar"

"That totally sounds...Meers.", Buffy tapped her finger on her chin"Meers. Meers...WARREN! Warren Meers"

Xander got the reference"ROBOT Warren? Buffybot Warren"

Oz sat on the couch, leaning over with his head resting in his hands. It was the only thing resting. His mind was whirling. This can't be right. She can't know what she's doing; she's only 15 years old...a year younger than Willow when she made her choice, a voice in his head reminded him. Shut UP, voice in my head. How could he do it, fall in love with a girl her age, this isn't good. It's got to be the Blood Bond . OK, he could deal with that. He heard an almost imperceptible sound, a footfall on the stair. Glancing up he saw Spike, barefoot and shirtless, moving with feline grace toward the kitchen.

Oz sprang from the couch, stalking after him. This would stop, now. Spike will control his...childe, or Oz would find someway to do it himself. Walking into the kitchen he found Spike leaning on one arm, over his head against the back door, looking out the window at the gathering dusk.

"What is it wolf-boy."

"Don't call me that." Oz told him, his voice low, dangerous. The sound caused Spike to push away from the window to turn and look at him.

"Oooo, the werewolf has a pair, after all." Spike taunted"Fancy you can make me stop, then"

"Spike, do you even know what she did" Oz spoke quietly, his anger apparent in his control.

Spike frowned"What are you nattering on about"

The hair on Ozs' head raised noticeably, making Spike raise his hands in front of himself"Down boy... Look, mate, why don't you give a bloke a clue, here" He could see that Oz was almost beside himself, could be a problem in a few days, he glanced out the window...the moon would be full then.

"Your...childe, linked us to you while you were...", he ran a hand through his hair, not wanting to be crude"uh, sex. Earlier."

Spike rolled his eyes skyward in exasperation, then hung his head not looking at Oz, thinking. A thought occurred to him. He flung his head up staring at Oz evilly; "Dawn...you didn't...", his nostrils flared and he dropped jaw to inhale through his mouth"No. You didn't. I'd smell it on you, ...taste it."

"No. No thanks to you." Oz distastefully spat at him"Get a leash on her Spike. She's a loose cannon."

"You're right." Spike was coldly angry, now"Come on, let's take care of this." He moved silently toward the stairs, hearing Oz follow behind.

Dawn woke from her catnap with a start. Oz wasn't beside her; she sat up running a hand over the place where he'd been earlier. No warmth. He'd been up awhile. Throwing off her cover she clambered off the bed, and went to her mirror. She didn't look any different. How could that be right, everything she was had changed. She didn't know why she thought she would, but she had. Shouldn't she be glowing or something? No, that was stupid. She decided to find Maelyn, she needed some "girl talk.", she turned from her mirror, leaving her room.

As Dawn came to Buffys' room she heard Maelyn singing. She stopped in absolute amazement. It was unearthly. It made her want to weep, or laugh with joy. She'd never heard anything so beautiful in her life, and knew deep down she never would again. She shook herself out of the music induced reverie, pushing the door open.

He whistled a tune to the window,

And who should be waiting there-

But the Landlords' black-eyed daughter,

Bess, the Landlords' daughter,

Plaiting a dark-red love knot in her long black hair...

Maelyn sang as she braided a red satin ribbon into her hair, a far away look on her face.

"Maelyn." Dawn spoke softly, not wanting her to stop, but also wanting to talk"I didn't know you could sing like that"

"Hmm? OH! Dawn, you startled me" She started as if waking from a dream.

"Where were you just then? You looked miles away" Dawn slowly walked into the room.

"Just remembering a song my Mother used to sing to me. Before she left."

"The one you were just singing" Dawn sat on the edge of the bed. "It's beautiful. What's it about"

"It's about a girl in love. She dies to save the man she loves." Maelyn explained the song to her; "It's called the Highwayman." looking at Dawn, Maelyn tilted her head to the side"Would you do that? Die, I mean? For Love"

"I...I don't...", she confusedly stammered"Buffy did. She loved me...all of us so much that she closed the gate by jumping though it...it was my job, I'm the Key. But she did it so we could live. I was mad at her for a long time. All I could think was that if she loved me, she wouldn't have left." Dawn looked at Maelyn, tears shimmering in her eyes"But I understand it now, because of Oz. Love is bigger than that; I was selfish and didn't get it. I do now. I do."

Maelyn looked up at her and smiled. "So how was it? Was it everything you thought it would be" she curiously wanted to know. Dawn leaned over and embraced Maelyn"Oh Maelyn...I never... I didn't know it was so...private...Thank you. Thank you for sharing that with me." Dawn leaned away from their hug, looking at her friend thoughtfully"We didn't really...but it felt like we did, it's weird."

Maelyn chewed on her bottom lip nervously"That wasn't supposed to happen, I didn't know he was there with you.", she looked pleadingly at Dawn"Are you mad at me"

"No.", she replied fervently"Never. I love him. But I'm not sure...he was pretty upset, like it was his fault or something."

"I'm sorry Dawn. I should have thought before linking to you."

"NO! What? You're going to apologize now too? Goddamit, will you people stop treating me like a child! I'm NOT sorry! I'm NOT! If we all die tomorrow at least I'll never be sorry to have never felt love like that" she continued urgently"It's not your fault, I asked you to do this Maelyn."

At that, they heard a throat being cleared, Dawn squeaked and Maelyn tensed seeing her Sire and Dawns' Bond-mate in the doorway.

_We are SO busted ,_ Dawn moaned to the other girl on the bed.

As Spike and Oz approached Buffys' room, they heard Maelyn singing. Oz stopped dead in his tracks, not believing his ears. She had the voice of a Siren...no, of an angel!

Spike gaped at the sound pouring out from the room and felt a hand pushing under his chin, closing his mouth. He irritatedly pulled away, glaring at Oz, who grinned at him cheekily.

"She's got some set of pipes." Oz spoke, awe in his voice"Did you know she could do that?" nodding his head toward the door.

Spike shook his head negatively, holding a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. The girls were talking. He raised his eyebrows at some of the things revealed, glancing at Oz. Dawn loved him. They schemed this together. Dawn asked Maelyn to do the link.

Spike shook his head, and the two beleaguered men gave each other looks of sympathetic understanding. They were screwed. They were at the mercy of two devious young women who didn't think about consequences as being anywhere near relevant to their actions.

Oz cleared his throat, startling a "yeeping" noise from Dawn and a defiant, guilty glare from Maelyn.

Spikes' brow drew down at the unrepentant look on Maelyns' face. That's it, he silently snarled, advancing on her menacingly. He laid hands on her, roughly imprisoning her wrists in one hand, reaching for the latch on his belt buckle. He stripped off the black leather belt in one violent yank, clenching it in one fist. Without a word he turned and pulled her along, struggling, kicking at his leg.

She let her legs buckle, trying to use her weight to her advantage but he only dragged her on the floor toward the hallway. She started shrieking epithets, implying his parents were never married, that he was whelped by a female canine...and that he'd had carnal knowledge of said canine. Not very ladylike, he acknowledged, as he dragged her twisting, spitting snarling carcass down to Dawn's room.

Oz only leaned against the doorjamb; a slight smile on his lips, watching Dawns' horrified face. The first slap of leather caused them both to flinch, the expression on Dawns' face flickering from horror, to anger, back to being horrified again.

Maelyn shrieked, swearing he was not only unclean, but that his parents weren't married...again...You already said that, pet. Another stroke, leather on flesh.

Dawns' eyes filled with tears. Oz impassively watched her face, twitching at the sound of a third, then a fourth...he took a deep breath.

Maelyns' screams of defiance soon became sobs of contrition, at which the punishment stopped. Foot falls coming back toward Buffys' room, Oz standing aside as Spike entered, threading his belt back through the loops on his jeans. The sound of Maelyns' pained weeping coming to them from outside the room.

"What? You going to beat me too" Dawn flung at Spike. Spike straightened, jerking his belt through the buckle, latching it, eyeing her dispassionately"I thought about it."

Oz growled a little, but stopped when Spike touched his shoulder. He remembered, a united front, they had to make the girls stop these foolish risks they kept taking.

"But then I thought, no. I gotta better idea." He smoothly explained to Dawn"Maelyn will be your Whipping Girl."

"What? What does that mean" Dawn looked at him uneasily, not liking the sound of that.

"It means, pet, whenever you get the urge to play fast 'n loose with the rules, Maelyn will take your punishment as well. Since I figure your Sis won't take kindly to me beating your delicate arse, hers' will do." he nodded toward the door.

"You...wouldn't" Dawn was aghast"That's not fair! I asked her to do the link...OZ" she looked to him for reassurance, finding none. "Spike, I don't want you to hurt her"

"Then you better be walkin' the straight 'n narrow, hadn't you?" he pointed his finger toward the sound of the crying girl"Or it'll be the worse for her. Do you understand me, Bit"

Dawn nodded her accord, she'd not risk Maelyn, she loved her too much to be the cause of her pain"Can I go to her"

Spike knew he'd have their obedience, using their love against them, he waved her on, and she ran to her friend.

Spike sagged against the wall dragging in a short, shaky breath...realizing he didn't need it, he blew it out in a huff. Oz grabbed his arm to steady him"I'm do old for this" Spike muttered.

"I hear you." Oz agreed unsteadily as they left the room and made their way downstairs.

"I don't understand. How could Warren, robotics genius that he is, manage the magic needed to create the breach" Willow wondered aloud.

"Angel called them the Three. I would say there are two more. He isn't alone." Anya succinctly stated the facts.

"Th-that's right" Tara excitedly agreed"There must be a witch... Someone who knows magic. Someone powerful enough to control it."

:Great. That narrows it down.", Buffy shook her head in exasperation. They were interrupted by the jangle of the doors' bell. In walked Maelyn, and Dawn, followed by their two highly stressed Bond mates.

Buffy noticed their tension right off, glancing at the others to see their reactions. Tara narrowed her eyes, then looked away, flustered. OK, Buffy thought, Tara knows something. Everyone else seemed oblivious to the undercurrents in the room.

Dawn and Maelyn sullenly slunk to the table. Dawn flung herself sulkily into a chair, while Maelyn delicately seated herself on another. She flinched at the hard wood pressing on her bottom.

Buffy raised an eyebrow at Spike; he met her look head on, giving a slight negating shake of his head. Ok. Later, then.

Tara looked at Maelyn, watching her stroking her hands down a lock of hair braided in a love knot. That's an interesting development, Tara mused. "So, Maelyn, sweetie, lets' go to the other room and talk. I've been wanting to ask you about your Sight." Tara suggested casually.

Maelyn looked at her, a hopeful expression on her face as she sneaked a look at her Sires' forbidding expression; he gave her the nod. She nodded meekly. Spike turned to hide his amusement.

Tara swept her off to the other room. She needs to know, Tara thought, about her heritage. No one should be kept in ignorance of who they are. She remembered how her family lied to her, fabricating a demon heritage, when all along it had been about keeping the women with the Sight in line.

Oz took a chair next to Dawns'. He yanked her chair closer to him, putting his arm across the back of it, resting his hand on the back of her neck, caressing it. Anya watched the aggressive display with interest. They're boinking, she thought decisively, looking to see if Xander noticed.

"So, anything new" Oz asked Willow, not looking at her, but at Dawn, gauging her reaction to his caress. Willow caught him up to what they knew so far, noticing his distraction.

Spikes' eyes narrowed"Stop. Wait. Warren? Robot boy? Well, it would probably fit his two nancyboy friends'd be involved as well"

"Who? Who are you talking about" Xander asked, disgusted with Spikes' obscurity.

"I had Warren do a once over on my chip, just to be sure it was workin' all proper" Spike explained"Had to do a bit of persuasion on the two stupid gits' he runs with."

"And your chip...it's working?" Xander nervously wanted to know.

"You'd be the first to find out if it weren't, whelp." Spike promised half jokingly.

"Xander, Spikes' chip isn't the issue here." Anya pointed out; "He knows who the other two are."

"So who are they" Xander pressed.

"A couple of ninnies...uh, Jonathon and ..Drew? Andrew. I overheard them talking."

Willow digested this information"Buffy, we know Jonathon is a magic user, if its' the same Jonathon we know, that is."

"Who's Andrew" Xander asked. Shrugs all around.

"What are we waitin' for, then" Spike demanded impatiently"Haven't had a good row in weeks."

"Spike, it's rash to just jump in like that before we know more about what we're dealing with", Willow chastised him.

"Don't you be tellin' me about 'rash' Red. If you recall, you had me'n Rupert sporting the same surname due to one of your daft spells." Spike replied, snottily. Willow bristled at his reminder.

Buffy stepped in"Look guys, in-fighting isn't on my agenda, here."

"Spike, we need to practice our Triad links, make sure we know what to do. This is dangerous, powerful and if we screw up, people could get hurt." Buffy reasoned with him, wondering what was up with the attitude.

"So bloody do it." he snapped.

"Spike, could , uh...come with me to the training room" Buffy had had enough of this; he's going to spill it!


	9. Cry Havoc 9

TITLE- Cry "Havoc"

AUTHOR- Buffitude

RATING- R

DISCLAIMER- actually, in a sense, they belong to us all, but Joss owns them.

No! No summary...

Tara watched the vampire girl gingerly settle herself cross-legged on the floor, across from her. Her aura was subdued not flaring like it normally did, something was bothering her. Well, it may out during their conversation.

"So. How long have you been able to See" Tara cut to the chase, with genuine interest.

"Always, I guess. I didn't know others didn't until I was in school. The first time I mentioned to another girl about the teachers' lights being pretty colored, I was branded a freak." she told Tara, a hint of pain creeping into her voice at the memory.

"Maelyn do you know about your family? Where they are from" Tara ventured.

" My mother was from a small coastal town in Ireland. She met my dad when he was on a merchant mariner. I think that's what he said. We didn't talk about her much after she left." Maelyn closed her eyes as she spoke, as if it made it easier to recall the story.

"Do you remember her, your mother" Tara prompted gently.

"Some. I was 6 when she returned...she said she was returning to the 'shining shore'. ", Maelyn frowned trying to remember something"I guess she went home to Ireland." She couldn't remember the elusive thing; "She wouldn't take me. I must have been bad...She didn't want me."

Tara sucked in a breath. Oh no. Why did all children think it was their fault when adults leave"NO" Tara rejected her reasoning forcefully"Maelyn, it had nothing to do with you being 'bad'. It wasn't your fault."

"How do you know" She cried out in anger"You weren't the one she left there with ...him" She spat out. "What's with all the questions, anyway"

"Sweetie, calm down. I just know something about your family...your heritage. I know it wasn't you that made her leave."

Maelyn looked at the witch speculatively"What? What do you know"

Tara took her hands in her own and told her everything she had learned about the Sidhe. From her grandmother, from the books at the Magic Box, and from Anya. She watched emotions run the full gamut across Maelyns' beautiful face as she explained to her about her Mother, her abilities and her destiny.

"But that's all changed now. I'm a vampire, none of that applies to me anymore." Maelyn protested, rejecting her heritage, her fear growing. "I'm going to be with Spike. Forever. I'm not returning to any bleedin' Shore" she slipped into Spikes' colorful metaphoric speech.

"Honey, you've kept a lot of your abilities. I don't know what that means, regarding The Return." Tara tried to reassure her"Vampires have extremely long lifespans too, if it does happen it may be centuries down the road."

"I thought you should know. No one told me the truth about my family. It caused a lot of trouble and pain for me." Tara related"Spike saved me from that life, you know."

"Really?" excited to hear about the vamp she loved"How did he do that"

"He punched me in the nose." Tara smiled slyly at Maelyns' shocked look.

"WHAT"

Tara laughingly told Maelyn the whole story, the girl hanging on every word. They were chatting in a friendly manner when the first wave of nausea hit them, causing them to double over in agony, wordlessly falling to the floor.

SLAM!

The training room door banged shut behind them. Spike moved with vampiric grace to the center of the room, half-turning to look at the Slayer over his leather clad shoulder.

She stood with clenched fists on hips, legs spread for balance"I'm waiting."

"Oh do. I think I'll win this game. Vampire here, I've got time." Spike coldly threw at her"What? D'ja forget, luv" Falsely widening his eyes in surprise.

_Spike! Just talk to me. You've been wound up since you came in tonight. , _Buffy sent to him privately, hoping to shake him out of his snit.

"You shoulda waited on me. I could have given you a go." He gestured around the room; "I'm a bit... tense." He admitted.

He could smell the sweat. I can't get much by him, she snorted to herself. "I saved you some if you think it'd help." She smiled in amusement. "Is this about Maelyn? About today in the kitchen, 'cause I could tell..."

He slipped into gameface, charging her. Her heart jumped in her chest in response but she blocked his pass, flipping him over to the floor. He went to roll away only to have her kick him, rolling him back over. She went astride him, clamping her thighs and knees around him, holding him in place. She slowly took a seat on his abdomen. He looked up at her with saffron eyes, morphing back to his human disguise. He lay his hands on her legs, running them up and down, feeling her rock hard muscles holding him in place. He smirked suggestively.

"Not . Working. Spike. Spill it." She narrowed her eyes at his questing hands. He knew what it was doing to her, and smiled knowingly. Change of tactics, she decided. Buffy slowly leaned forwards until her breasts were against his chest, propping herself on an elbow, chin in hand.

"Spike" she said sweetly"If you talk to me, I'll give you a cookie." She laughingly said, watching his eyes staring at her exposed cleavage.

He gave a bucking movement, unseating her, with a roll, had her pinned beneath him"There now, that's better." He told her. She blew at a wisp of hair on her face, trying to get it out of her eyes.

He moved it aside with a casual touch, caressing down until he grasped her hard by the chin"She and Dawn have been up to their shenanigans again this afternoon." He didn't elaborate but released her to move down her body until he rested his head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat.

Buffy was surprised by his sudden switch of position, but lay under him quietly allowing him to get comfortable, stroking his hair with her hands.

"What, after this mornin' in the kitchen, then THAT foolishness. I had to whip her, Buffy." Buffy was startled by the angst in his voice over meting out the punishment.

"Uhmm...Spike? About the kitchen. What really happened in there" Buffy gently tickled his neck. Stroking the back of his hair.

"She Challenged me."

"What does that mean, though, Spike"

He raised his head to look at her"I thought you read your Watchers' Diaries"

She flushed..."Well, only the parts about...uhm, the stuff Giles made me read...oh for..I AM the Slayer, I only have to know stuff that'll help me fight" She finished lamely.

Spike buried his face between her breasts laughing.

"WHAT! What's so funny, damn it"

"You never were one for the school work, eh luv? Poor Rupert." He rubbed his nose across her material clad nipple, watching it stiffen.

She pushed him off. He sat up grinning at her responsiveness to him. "Challenge", she prompted him.

"Yeah, right. There comes a time in a vampire hierarchy when underlings of the Line will Challenge their superiors. A fight ensues..yadda yadda If the Challenge is won, the underling moves up the Line receiving all that is due the position. Some BloodLines have a lot more Challengin' due to sheer numbers of childer. Angelus always kept a tight family, didn't trust anyone...don't know why he didn't stake me, he thought to a few times when I almost Challenged, but backed off." he reminisced." I'm sure your Watcher had all that in his musty books."

"You can KILL your childe for a Challenge? That seems harsh." Buffy noted.

"We're vampires, pet. We live 'harsh'."

"Why didn't you? To Maelyn...I mean." She carefully asked him, uncertain of his response.

"Hell, a bloke can learn a little control after a 100 years, can't he? Angel puts up with me, an' him not likin' me much. I love her, I guess I can cut her some slack." he grinned at her; " I do feel a bit better now." He jumped to his feet, reaching down to pull her up heard Oz shout his name and Dawn scream.

Willow felt the magic ripple, and buck, as if trying to resist a restraint. It made her dizzy and nauseous. She clutched her abdomen and groaned, she couldn't stop the sound, it was dragged out of her.

"Willow!" Xander cried as he rushed to her.

"NO! Check Tara." she pushed him away, falling from her chair to the floor. Oz shouted for Spike, and came around the table to Willows' side.

"Go check Maelyn and Tara", he told Xander, lifting Willow to sit against him. Her head weakly lolling back eyes closed.

"Bucket." She whispered her face a greenish -grey.

Dawn raced for a trash can and brought it to Oz, who held her while she heaved into it. Dawn ran to Anya to take the damp cloth she had produced from the bathroom. She brought it to Willow, blotting her face gently. Willow moaned"Gods, this is bad."

Spike and Buffy had burst out of the training room door. "What happened"

"Another Quake." Oz supplied them.

Spike bolted for the room where Maelyn and Tara had went for their conference. The first thing he saw was Maelyn, on all fours, a spreading pool of blood under her hands.

"Maelyn" he shouted, springing to her side, catching her up in his arms, frantically trying to assess her wounds.

Tara weakly rolled to her side"It's ok, Spike. It's just her...Lunch."

The whole shop wavered. Almost like a temporal distortion. Spike felt Maelyn stiffen in his arms, he staggered, the wave that passed through the shop making him unsteady.

Xander fell to the floor, holding onto it as if it would keep him from falling through it. When everything settled, Xander looked up at Spike"OK. That was just...wrong."

Spike wasn't looking at him; he was staring at the girl in his arms in dismay"Maelyn." He whispered softly. Xander helping Tara to her feet, arm around her shoulders, looked to see what was the problem.

Maelyn had a shock of white running through her hair, framing her gamine face. Pure white, where before the Quake it was a dark sable.

Warren set up the poster board with the new set of goals written on it, for his presentation. Andrew and Jonathon were bickering over who would get to control Darth Vader, when they got their Golem gaming pieces conjured. He tapped the board with his pointer waiting for their attention. Finally, he cleared his throat. They subsided and shifted into their seats sulkily.

"Hrmph." Warren cleared his throat importantly. "OK. These are the new set of objectives. As you can see...they are a little more. Shall we say, ambitious? But with the control of the Source, it's do-able."

Andrew half raised his hand, pulling it back before shooting it up in the air, waving it. Warren closed his eyes, sighing"What IS it, Andrew"

"Well, it's number 3. Why can't we just caste a spell to Teraform the moon for the base? I mean, wouldn't that be easier than casting the spell to have the spaceship technology to go there and do it" Looking over to see if Jonathon agreed.

"No. Any other questions" Warren smiled. He would recreate the world in less than 6 days, which would in essence, make him a god. Starting with the space port right here in Sunnydale. "If we extrapolate the coordinates, the best place to put it is at the old high school site." Warren lectured, pointing to item 1 on the board. "Let's get to work."

Andrew and Jonathon scuffled over to the pentagram, taking up their positions around the blue and orange light within it. Warren slowly smiled with satisfaction. Joining the pair, he grasped their hands, Jonathon began to chant. Andrew joined in adding his power behind it. The Source bucked and hitched in response to their efforts to control it, but they bent it to do their bidding.

"We have to do something! Now!" Spike demanded, pacing in front of the table"This is killing her, I can feel it."

"It will kill all of us if we don't stop it." Tara responded, agreeing with Spike. Who grudgingly smiled at her for her support of his position.

"OK. We'll try to close the breach. We'll have to do it at night, or Maelyn and Spike won't be able to work with the Triad."

"It'll have to be tomorrow." Oz stated"It'll be the last chance for about three days, that I'll be able to help."

"Why?" Dawn asked, fearing he was leaving.

"Sweetie, it will be his moon-time, he'll be..." Tara hesitated, not wanting to be insensitive.

"Wolf. Dawn, I'll be the Wolf." Oz couldn't meet her eyes. He thought he'd been over the shame that admission invoked. He didn't think he could deal with her fear or disgust of him.

"Oh. Right, the night before, during and after, I remember." Dawn took his hand in hers; "Do you need a place to be? Do you need help"

He smiled at her in relief"No, Xan already did some renovations at my apartment. I'm good."

"But Oz, I thought you didn't wolf-out...you know, with the chanting and the charms..." Willow said, her perplexity wrinkling her brow.

"Mostly, I just sit and read in the cage, but it's not failsafe." looking at Tara uncomfortably, remembering when he'd chased her across campus.

"Oh." Willow said, remembering the same incident.

"I think we need to go home, get some rest. We need everyone at their best for this tomorrow." Buffy ordered her people gathered at the table.

Everyone gathered their stuff and did as the Slayer suggested.

Spike had gently cleansed Maelyns' hair of blood and removed the bloodstained blouse she'd worn since she had gotten sick at the Magic Box. He helped her into one of his silk shirts, buttoning all the buttons for her as she sat on the bed. "I can dress myself." She protested weakly.

"I know you can. Let me do this for you, baby." He said as he got up to fetch her brush and comb. Returning to the bed, he moved her back until she was sitting in the middle of it, before climbing onto it behind her. He stroked the brush down the length of her hair in the back, smoothing behind with his other hand. He touched the braided love knot, remembering her voice singing.

"Sing for me" he requested, wanting to hear her again. She inhaled deeply and sang, the music pouring from her throat. She wove her voice around him. He closed his eyes. He couldn't believe he could be the one sitting with her, listening to her heart-made song. If he were dust the next night, he'd always remember how she took his hands in hers and sang her love for him.

Buffy sat with Willow on the couch, watching her take a shaky sip of the tea Tara had made for them. "We'll stop this, Will. Then you and Tara and Maelyn won't have to go through this again. I'll make them stop, I promise."

Tara appeared from the kitchen wearing a robe Willow had loaned her. "The Mother's dying, Buffy. You saw what the Sources' drain did to Maelyns' hair, she'll die soon if this isn't ended."

"What? Why? Why would it affect her so much more than you, " she looked around to her other friend" or Willow"

"The Sidhe are connected somehow to the Source, a part of the Mother. I don't know exactly. No one does. But in all I have read, they are connected with earth, fire, water, and air. These Quakes harm her more deeply because of it." Tara quietly revealed. "They are nature, a part of creation according to the legends. How much of it is true, how much myth...we'll never know."

Standing abruptly, Buffy announced"Then tomorrow night. It ends."

Oz slid the key into the door of his apartment turning the handle, pushing it open. He flicked on the light, standing aside letting Dawn move across the threshold.

She shrugged out of her jacket, setting it on the floor next to the little table by the door. Her purse followed the jacket. She looked at the tastefully done apartment, glancing over her shoulder at Oz, who had turned to shut the door and fling his keys into the tray on the door side table.

Spying a goofy poster on the wall behind the cage door in the far corner of the apartment, she raised an eyebrow"Dingoes Ate My Baby"

Oz just nodded. He didn't know why he'd kept it. The band hadn't been together for several years but it evoked fond memories, so he'd stashed it away.

"You want something" He asked her moving toward the kitchen. She followed him, taking the opportunity to slide her arms around his waist, laying her cheek on his back when he stopped at the cabinet for glasses.

He sat the glasses on the counter, gently unwinding her arms from around him. He turned to face her. She blinked at him, confused by his withdrawal. Seeing confusion and the beginnings of hurt cross her face, he touched her cheek"Dawn, we're alone in my apartment. It's not a good idea to be too snugly." He explained"Buffy only agreed to this because she knew I'd take care of you, not take advantage."

"Oz..." she protested, but was stopped by his finger across her lips.

"Shush." he ordered"You're young...so young. I know you think you're in love with me..." he began"but what happens three years from now and you realize you've made a mistake" He quietly asked.

Dawns' eyes started to tear...then tears burned away with anger. "How dare you tell me what I feel! Let me tell you something! For all your wise twenty-two years, you don't know anything about the heart. What makes you the expert" She raged.

"Is that what you think of me? That I'm so fickle that I don't know the man I'll love the rest of my life? Oh yeah, Dawns' all like..OOPS! Well, that was a mistake" , she spat at him sarcastically.

"Dawn, it's the Blood-Bond talking." he desperately tried to convince her, and himself.

"It may have been at first, but it's not all it is now and you know it." she replied, still angry with him.

"When this is over, tomorrow, I should go." he told her, feeling his heart clench at his words.

"I'll follow you." she vowed, a wild look in her eyes"I'll sneak out, I'll follow you. I can do it, ask Spike, I do it all the time!" she declared hysterically. "I'll have Spike break your legs, you won't be able to leave." Her voice rising in panic over the thought of him leaving her.

"Don't go Oz" she whispered brokenly"Don't leave me. Wait for me. It's only three years, it'll go by fast...please..."

He couldn't take it anymore, he gathered her to him, rocking her comfortingly. "OK, Sweetheart. I can give you three years, since you are willing to give me a lifetime."

He felt her smile against his shirt.

Xander sat in his lounger, whetting the edge of the battle-axe Giles gave him before he left the last time. He and Anya weren't a part of a Triad, but he'd never let his friends go into a fight without him, and wasn't going to start now.

He had been using his army guy memories, coming up with a strategy. If he could get one of the Triads to concentrate on breaking down the Fortress walls, his job would be to infiltrate and neutralize the target...er...Warren...the Three. That should effectively stop the draining from the Source. They could figure how to heal the breach after that.

He felt Anyas' hands working into his shoulders, massaging his muscles"You're tense. Put down Giles' axe and come to bed."

"Anya, it's my axe. Giles gave it to me. And I've got to sharpen the blade." He responded irritatedly. She pulled the axe out of his hands, with surprising strength. He looked at her and saw tears in her eyes."An, what? What's wrong" He took her arm, guiding her into his lap.

"Xander, we may all die in another night. I don't want to spend the last night I may ever have with you, watching you sharpen cutlery" She sniffled, rubbing her eyes with a child's motion, using her fists.

Xander smiled, she was such a contradiction. She'd lived over a thousand years, yet sometimes exhibited a childlike innocence over the simplest of things. Yet she was all woman. It was the woman he responded to this time, pulling her to him, coming down hard on her mouth with his. She caught fire instantly. He stood, with her wrapped around him and made his way to the bedroom.

Anya was gratified that Xander found her more important than sharpening that stupid axe. He kissed her and carried her to their bed. It was a good thing, because he'd made her legs all weak with that kiss. A sudden thought occurred to her.

As Xander lay her on the bed, he was amused to hear her say"If anyone dies before the wedding, I'll kill them" That's my girl, he thought before he resumed their kiss and all thought fled.

They met at the Magic Box out front. There had been strange reports on the news all day about UFOs' and a huge facility of some kind appearing at the site of the burned out high school. The Scoobies and Buffy waited as Spike and Maelyn showed up, the last to make the rendezvous.

Xander explained the strategy he'd worked out the night before. To his surprise there was a consensus among them. It was a good plan.

As they walked through the streets toward the residential area where the Fortress stood, they saw what looked like shuttlecraft flying in and out of the looming structure. There was a lot of activity around the Fortress.

So much for being able to approach it undetected, the Slayer thought, watching the platoons of white armored Storm Troopers moving around the perimeter of the Fortress.

Oz looked up; the moon was too bright. It would have been better for them had it been during the dark of the moon. As it was, they were illuminated as by a spotlight, he gripped Dawns' hand.

A bright blue beam struck the street behind them, causing a steaming, sizzling hole to appear in the asphalt. They could smell burning ozone. "What the bloody hell was that" Spike snarled as they ran from the beam that struck at them again, missing.

"What? You never saw Star Wars? That's a laser weapon" Oz shouted, dragging Dawn with him, right behind Spike and Maelyn.

"How do we fight something like that" Dawn wanted to know, looking at Xanders' battleaxe, comparing the two, the axe coming up wanting.

"With the Triads, it's now or never, people" Willow shouted over the singing laser blasts as she reached Oz and Dawn. "Stay behind us Tara. Xander, Anya. Once we power up we can shield you until we get the walls down for you to go through." she grabbed Oz by the hand.

The blue vortex leapt into being under Dawns' guidance, it whined like a generator powering up.

Buffy flung out an arm, clasping Spikes' hand in hers as he held to Maelyns'. Their vortex shot into the night sky like a beacon, the electric blue-white energy fluxing as it whirled around them. Their link was strong because of the strong bonds they had with Spike, their Ground. Buffy flung her other hand toward the X-wing fighter strafing toward them. A blue bolt shot from her extended hand, disintegrating the fighter.

"Cool!" she grinned at Spike, who allowed a smile to reach his eyes in response. He was feeling the power Maelyn was generating surging through him on an almost cellular level. He had to concentrate on holding onto her hand. The link hadn't been like this before, but he steeled himself for worse.

Seeing Buffy take out the X-wing, Willow extended her hand palm out in front of her, directing the energy toward the legions of Storm Troopers coming toward them. The blue white energy surged out at her Focus and blasted a wide swath through them. Oz gritted his teeth at the energy surge from Dawn.

A laser blast zinged off the energy field, shooting into the air, blasting one of the craft zipping to and for like angry bees.

Xander yelled over the energy field"Will, aim for the Fortress, we need to take down that wall"

Willow focused her attention on the Fortress looking over a likely place to attack. She noticed that the swath she had cut through the Storm Troopers was being filled as if by magic. SHIT! It WAS by magic! The Three were repopulating the ranks quickly. She aimed another blow at them, smashing them to smithereens.

A separate blue column of energy rose from the Fortress, it was twisted through with a sickly orange-red.

"They've accessed the Source" Tara cried out, pointing at the energy vortex above the Fortress.

Buffy was having her own problems trying to keep the X-wings off of them. It seemed like they were replaced as fast as she shot them down. At Taras' cry, she looked toward Maelyn. She had tears of blood streaking down her face at the energy she was putting out. That can't be good, the Slayer thought. She turned to the Fortress, seeking a weak spot in the wall. Choosing, she blasted it.

Willow chose her spot on the Fortress wall and sent a bolt into it. Buffys' blast of energy hit next to hers. They were though!

There arose a wailing sound that overwhelmed the energy whine of their fully powered Triads. It sounded like thousands of voices raised in shrieks of pain, a keening of many. Tara cried out"Stop! It's the Mother! We're killing Her. The more we fight them, the more they are draining Her to fight back! We have to stop...**We** are killing Her"

At that instant, Maelyn looked over at Dawn. Dawns' body was suffused in a green glow. _DAWN, _Maelyn cried out to her telepathically, _Are you OK"_

Dawn felt as if her teeth were being vibrated out of her head, her entire body was humming! She felt...expanded. _Maelyn! I...I feel like I'm coming apart! Help me!_

Maelyn felt Dawns' key energy surfacing and she suddenly knew what they had to do. _Dawn. You are still a Key. You have to close the breach, or everyone dies. _Maelyn called to her.

_I'm afraid. I don't want to die! _Dawn sobbed into her mind.

_I'll come with you, you won't be alone. Would you die, for Love? _Maelyn asked her once more.

Dawn knew the answer this time. Looking into Maelyns' eyes she nodded. Around them, oblivious to the choices being made, Buffy and Willow were Focusing energy bursts at the enemy forces.

Spike knew the instant before, that something was wrong. He felt Maelyn breeze through his mind, a soft passing like a kiss, then the small light that was her presence blew out like a candle in a wind.

"NOOO" He roared, as she flung herself away from him, into Dawns' arms. Silver and green...WHOOOMPH! The energy exploded.

A split second prior to the explosion, the Mother had become silent. For that fraction of a second, the Earth was dead. Dawn was a Key. In the seconds before the Earth died, she decided to close as many dimensional portals as possible. After the explosion, not only was the breach healed but also the Hellmouth was irrevocably closed, seamlessly as if it had never been. Her Gift . For those left behind.

Their combined protoplasmic energy flowed across the Earth's' surface, filing in behind the vacuum the retreating Mother left. In a wave, racing around the globe until the nearly dead aura was reenergized. The Earth's' normally blue corona was now tinted with a silver sheen.

The hand that held Willows' when Dawns' Key energy exploded released her, but the resonance backburn went through her, burning out synapses and nerve endings. She dropped as if she were a puppet with cut strings.

Oz felt his hand go through Dawns' as she became insubstantial, her vibratory level raised so high she became incorporeal while wrapped in Maelyns' embrace, the Key energy taking them both. "DAWN" he screamed, before the shock wave blew him back.

Buffy saw Dawn glowing green and Maelyn surge toward her sister, grabbing her in an embrace. Their hair flying straight up, whipping in the energy flow. Twining together. Then they disintegrated. Became green and silver energy that exploded. She heard Spike scream.

The shock wave of immense proportions blew the remaining Triad members away like leaves in a strong wind.

Dawn was aware. She knew this place from the Meld with Maelyn. It was wonderful, peaceful. Where was Maelyn? She promised not to leave her alone.

_I'm here. _ Maelyn/Mothers' voice answered.

_Maelyn? You sound funny. _Dawn said uncertainly.

_I'm still me, but...Dawn, I've got things to tell you, you don't have much time so Listen. _ The voice of her friend spoke to her.

_Why? What do you mean I don't have time? Aren't I dead? I have all the time in the world. _Dawn was confused.

_Dawn, you can't stay here. Human souls have no place on the Shining Shore. _Maelyn/Mother gently told her.

_No! You promised Maelyn! Don't leave me! she_ sobbed, frightened.

_Yes, I promised. You won't be alone. You have to go back. Go home. It's not your time, I brought you here, and you don't belong."_

_Wait! I can't leave you! What about you? Spike needs you. I need you! _ Dawn rebelliously argued.

_Listen Child! the_ voice of the Mother commanded. Dawn subsided, shocked by the Voice.

_I'm where I need to be Dawn. I can never go back, the Mother died. I'm her replacement. I'm Sidhe; this is where I belong. I'm alone here, so many died with the Mother...My own mother..." _she let sorrow take her.

_Maelyn, I love you. I won't leave; I won't leave you alone. _Dawn insisted.

_You have no choice, you must leave. But listen...I will never leave you. Tell Spike, if he'll but listen, I'll be with him. He just has to call to me and I'll come. _

Dawn didn't understand,_ How? How will you be with us? If you are now the Mother_? _Maelyn" _She felt herself being forced out of the peaceful place, away from Maelyn, _Maelyn! Wait. WAIT!_

_Tara will know,_ she heard the voice distantly and then knew no more.

Dawn stood with her arms crossed, tapping her foot; she was upset with Buffy. "It's been three months, Buffy and he's not getting any better. This 'give it time' thing isn't working" she flung at her sister.

Buffy tiredly looked at her sister and felt guilt that she still had a sister, when Spikes' childe was gone. She winced, no that wasn't right. She loved Dawn and thanked the Mother everyday for her existence. It was a miracle, really. The Key energy expended, closing every dimensional door for two continents, sealing the breach in the Source and the Hellmouth. Once gone, it left the human part behind. Well, not exactly. She'd been gone. Buffy had seen her molecules just fly apart. But when she'd waked from the concussive blow out, she found Dawn curled on her side next to an unconscious Oz.

Dawn told them much later what had transpired.

The doctors thought Oz would regain the use of his arm with physical therapy. Which was a relief to him. What good was a three- legged werewolf? he'd wanted to know. What GOOD is a werewolf, at all, She'd responded. That made him laugh, which was of the good. There was precious little to laugh about these days.

Willow...Will. At first her prognosis wasn't good, but Tara had worked some healing magics when the doctors weren't looking. Now it looked as if she may only be paralyzed in her legs. It's taken these three months for her to learn to feed herself and talk haltingly. She gets frustrated but Tara was good with her. Buffy visited everyday, always bringing something for Willow, a puzzle, and a book to read to her, so Tara could get out for awhile.

Anya said Xander still had nightmares about the horror he found in the basement of the Meers' house. He still wouldn't talk about it.

She hoped they died in agony.

And then there was Spike...my god.

"Dawn, he won't see me. He doesn't even want to **look** at you." She stopped at the pain she'd caused to appear on Dawns' face"I'm sorry Dawnie, I know it hurts. Maybe he can't look at you without it reminding him of ..Her."

"Buffy, I don't care **why** he won't look at me. I just want him to be ok. I'm scared. Xander said he's not eating. He won't even get drunk now, like at first."

"At least he's not trying to kill himself anymore." Buffy said gratefully, remembering all the times she and Oz or Xander had dragged him home to the crypt before the sun came up.

"He is though. He's dying without her..." She trailed off a sudden look on her face.

"What! What is it" Buffy wanted to know.

"Nothing." at least not until I talk to Tara, Dawn thought.

"That's not nothing. That's Something Face. Tell me." Buffy demanded but Dawn just wheeled around and left the kitchen.

"I need to see Tara." and the front door opened"He's dying and I'm not going to let him go, even if you are willing to." The door banged shut.

"Xander, please... you have to come with me! He won't even look at me, or talk to me, or listen to me" Dawn pleaded with Xander"And he has to listen"

"Dawn, leave him alone. It's too hard for him...for godssake, leave the guy to his grave. It's where he wants to be, now she's gone." Xander angrily chastised the girl. His heart had almost broken at how Maelyns' death had affected the vampire. It was worse than when Buffy died. Much worse. He and Oz were the only ones he could bear to be around...funny about that. He never thought Spike would tolerate him in any capacity, and now he was about the only one whom he could.

"Xander! Please! That's the whole point. According to Tara, she's not really gone! Maelyn gave me a message for Spike before she sent me back." Dawn earnestly told him"Listen child, she said..." And when she was finished, Xander looked up with hope on his face"OK. Let's go get him."

Buffy put her head down and cried. She cried until no more tears would come, and even then sobbed in pain and fear. He'd always been there for her and now there was nothing she could do to ease his pain. Wait. Maybe there was someone who could. Who would know what to do? She walked to the telephone.

"Angel? Yeah, it's me. Angel, you have to come. We're losing him." and she burst into tears."Ok. See you soon." She whispered, hanging up the phone. Hurry, please hurry. She slid down the wall, putting her face into her knees, and rocked herself for comfort.

It was dusk when Xander, Oz and Dawn went to the crypt. They entered the place quietly, no talking to each other. Dawn saw the destruction and couldn't believe it was the same place she had been three months prior to That Night. The shock alone kept her silent.

Xander went to the sarcophagus that used to be a table... Well, after it had been a sarcophagus, Xander thought. Dawn frowned, glancing toward the below chamber entrance. Oz shook his head at her, nodding to the sarcophagus that Xander was shoving the heavy lid from onto the floor. Her hand flew to her mouth, tears in her eyes as she realized where he was.

"Spike. Hey, man. Wake up."

A voice hoarse and cracked with disuse came from the inside of the sarcophagus"Go 'way, whelp."

"Nope. Not this time. Come on, there's something we gotta do." Xander chipperly told him.

"The only thing I gotta do is die. Leave me.", Spike rasped.

"You're already dead, Spike. Now get up. Oz, a hand here" Xander quipped; knowing full well Spike normally would have smirked at the fun being had with Oz's infirmity. Spike didn't even bother to open his eyes.

Oz came over, grabbing the dusty ratty blanket off the floor, shaking it out on the way. It had once been a red satin bedspread, it seemed. Dawn saw the coverlet and almost couldn't breathe...Maelyn... She had to get a grip. Spike needed her.

The two men raised him from his resting-place, wrapping the ruined red coverlet around his nakedness. Spike sighed; "You aren't leaving." he was starting to sound exasperated, he opened his dull yellow eyes. He saw Dawn and was startled into his human face. Which made Dawn gasp. His cheeks were gaunt; cheekbones sharp as blades and his eyes were just sunken bruises of blue.

"Get her out of here." He demanded coldly.

"Sorry, but she's why we're here. She has something to tell you."

"She's' got nothin' I need. GO" He closed his eyes, refusing to see her. Oz and Xander looked at each other helplessly.

"Spike. I don't care if you look at me or not. I can't make you listen. But by God, I'm not leaving you alone.. Not like this. You WILL come and see what I have to show you." Dawn strongly asserted"Bring him!", imperiously marching out the door.

"You heard the bint, bring Me." he snarled at them hatefully. They lifted him from the bed he'd chosen. Xander helped him walk shakily to the door Oz held open for them. Dawn waited for them, turned and led them to the old part of the cemetery, stopping in front of an oak tree.

Gesturing for them to place him next to the tree"Touch the tree, Spike" He ignored her, so Xander took his hands and placed them on the tree. Spike left them there. Dawn opened the small velvet bag and drew out a vial of blood, which she poured on the base of the tree.

"Mother, accept my gift to thee,

I summon to this tree,

Your Presence."

Oz nervously looked at Xander, who shrugged.

**"Listen**, Spike." Dawn said softly to him, waiting for a reaction...any reaction. It came. His eyes flew open and he grasped the bark of the tree in both hands. He slid to his knees; a wrenching keening sound escaped his mouth. The sound bruised the soul of each who heard it. OH GOD! What have I done? Dawn frantically started toward him, only to be intercepted by Oz.

"No. Wait." He said into her ear as he watched Spike.

**"Maelyn**" Spike whispered brokenly"Maelyn, Why? Why did you leave me? Why did you choose her..." The cry of a child lost.

_I'm here, Spike. I've not gone._

_Baby, I've missed you. he_ sighed a hitching breath.

_Me too, you can come here, you know. Now, and be with me. It took her long enough to get you here! _ She laughingly said.

_Not her fault, pet. I've been...dead. _he told her honestly.

_I saw. Do you still love me? _she asked in a small uncertain voice.

_Until the end of the world, luv, 'til the end . relief_ spreading through him.

_Do you want me to sing for you? _she offered.

_Anything, just so I can feel you. _He closed his eyes and drifted into the first healing sleep he'd had since she'd been gone.

Dawn walked toward him, placing her hand on the tree, _Thanks Maelyn, we...we were losing him._

_I could feel it. I think he'll get better now. I'm going to sing for him, will you stay"_

_Yeah. I have to take him home before sunrise. _Dawn answered her, pulling the dirty red blanket over him, sliding his head onto her shoulder. _How about The Highwayman? _Dawn requested, and leaned her head back onto the tree listening to the Mother sing to her Children.

The man and woman stood at a distance, watching as the drama unfolded. "Do you think he'll be ok, now" Buffy asked Angel, never taking her eyes off the blond man clinging to the tree.

"Time will tell. It's something he has a lot of." Angel answered softly"How about you"

"I don't know Angel, it hurts him to be around me. I ...I don't want to hurt him...or me. I couldn't leave until I knew he'd be all right. I've talked to Oz; he wants to marry Dawn when she turns 18. I think I'll go then." Buffy replied, pain saturating her words.

"I have property in Italy, Buffy. You could stay there. I have money, if you want to travel...whatever you want. Let me do this for you. Please. The Hellmouth is gone, you'd be free."

Buffy turned her eyes up to his, and he flinched at the pain he saw there. How much more could one person stand? He wondered.

"Thank-you." She said simply, turning, she walked away toward home.

Epilogue- Four years later.

The night was warm; a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the tree she stood beneath, allowing moonlight to play over her. She narrows her eyes as she watches him sitting against the oak tree, his black leather duster surrounding him. He's talking, and the sound of his voice carries in the still night air.

"Yeah, so Oz tells me the Bit is expectin' again. Her Danny is quite the handful, she deserves thatn' after all the stunts she pulled...eh" He chuckled.

She smiled, laying her hand on her abdomen, she hadn't known he'd kept up with her. He still hadn't spoken to her in all this time.

"No. She doesn't know, pet. I'm not ready just yet. Bloody hell! I know it's been four years..." he complained.

"Now, baby, don't be like that." He sighed. "Alright, I guess I have to face her sometime, gettin' all my news from Oz is a bit annoyin'"

She couldn't believe her husband had kept it quiet all this time, that he was telling Spike about how she was doing. Boy, was he going to be in trouble when she got home.

"You think I should? Yeah? I'll go pick somethin' up then for the nipper. I do love the Bit, it's just that I felt that you left me ...chose her over me, you weren't here so I took it out on her."

A silence.

"Maybe I will, but I have a hell of a lot of apoligizin' to do to the Slayer too, when I find her."

"If she still loves me." He hung his head, thinking of the alternative. "I'm ready now, Maelyn. Maybe I'll start out tomorrow, after sayin' g'bye to the Niblett."

Dawn smiled. She'd been watching over him every night for the last four years. Making sure he was never alone, like he had for her that long ago summer when Buffy had died. He was ready. She stepped out of the shadows of the trees. Spike looked up at the movement. He flowed to his feet, walking toward her.

"Start tonight." Dawn said, pressing the address into his hand"She's in Italy."

"Thank-you.", he said simply, taking her face into his hands, pressing a kiss on her forehead. Turning, he walked away toward Home.


	10. Cry Havoc postscript

Coming in two weeks...the sequel to Cry "Havoc". What happens when Spike goes looking for the Slayer? Now that the Hellmouth is closed in Sunnydale is she in retirement? What will he find? Find out in Wreak Havoc. Soon to be released. 


End file.
